Mind of a Woman, Heart of a Samurai
by The Rabid Bunny
Summary: Continuation of 'Consequences of Bathing'. Yuya and Kyo have taken steps toward building a strong love. Will he ever open up to her? Will she survive walking beside him as he searches for meaning? Definite Kyo/Yuya. Yuya POV. Lemon later.
1. The Morning After

**A/N: So, I've gotten decent response to 'The Consequences of Bathing', and several readers have requested that I continue with that plot. And much thanks to an inspiring e-mail from _earthbender068_, I have decided to tackle this project. Here goes chapter one, and I hope that you like it. Again, this is first person from Yuya's pov. If I actually tried to write from Kyo's perspective, I think my mind would sizzle like bacon. His thoughts scare me. Anyway, read, enjoy, and review. And remember that this is drawn solely from the anime, as I have yet to finish the manga.**

**The characters of Samurai Deeper Kyo are not mine.**

Mind of a Woman, Heart of a Samurai

The Morning After

I never have been a morning person. I don't know why, I mean, I've always had to be an early riser. Be it when I was a girl and lived on a farm with the nice family that had taken me in after my brother's death, or when I began sneaking around the countryside in search of dangerous men for money. Even since my acquaintance with Demon Eyes Kyo and his band of merry misfits, I've had to get up early in the mornings in order to do the necessary shopping for our long walks across the country.

And, even though I have been getting out of bed at first light for many years, I still absolutely loathe it.

For some reason, I hate it so much more today than normal.

Perhaps it is that, though I am not fully awake, I can tell that my body is going to carry a dull ache that is already pulsing throughout all of my muscles. Or maybe, it's just that I'll have to face up to what happened last night. I'll have to face _him_.

Not that I'm ashamed of what we did. Quite the contrary, actually. No, it's just that I'm unaccustomed to this sort of relationship. Well, if that's what one would call what Kyo and I have. I mean, we did make love last night, and he did ask me to share his bed afterward. But, what exactly does that mean?

The sun's rays filter through the slatted window covers, and they bring with them awareness. I revel in the minimal warmth of the winter sun on my eyelids, as I ponder exactly how I will greet my first day as a _woman_. A long, languid stretch forces its way through my body, and I feel the muscles pull and complain. The ache between my legs brings itself to the forefront, but it is still dull and not exactly bothersome. I embrace that ache because it is proof of how my life has changed.

Slowly I open my eyes and take in our hotel room, which is, actually, rather plain. The only furniture in this little haven consists of a low table that holds my revolver, hair pick, and a few of the house toiletries, and the brazier in the corner that has burnt itself down to barely smoking embers. At precisely that moment, I feel the first touch of frosty air across my face, and I know that the previous night's cold has seeped into our room and festered.

Wincing ever-so-slightly at the pains in my joints, I pull myself to sitting while attempting to use the bed covering to conserve my modesty. I know that Kyo is sitting along the wall, with his Tenro propped against a shoulder, and I feel his burning gaze as his eyes follow my movements. His stare is heavy as I half-drag myself to the little stove and place a few small logs across the coals. I pray to numerous kami that the fire catches...and it does. Whew! Now, I can get warmed up while I dress for my daily routine.

I make my way back to the futon and plop myself onto my stomach, not quite ready to start my day.

"Are you ill, woman?" Kyo's voice is even and deep, as if he were asking something he has asked every day since we met. I open my eyes and focus on his. His gaze burns into me, but not with the same intensity as the night before. This is the same piercing look that he has been giving me regularly since we've begun traveling on our own. As if he's pondering my very purpose at his side.

I fool myself for a brief moment, thinking that maybe he's actually worried about my well-being.

"No, I'm just a little sore..." I leave the phrase trailing in order to gauge his reaction, and he splendidly disappoints me.

"Well, just as long as you have enough strength to carry supplies. It's market day in this town, and we need to restock."

I feel the heat in my face that had started as a result to my ignorant happiness at the thought that he cared burn into a full on rage.

"Could it really hurt you to give a shit?" I shout as I yank myself from the bedding and turn my back on him.

I should have known that Mibu Kyo is still the heartless killer that he has always been. One night of passion with a seventeen year old girl would not change what is ingrained in his very being. I just wish that he would show me _something_. In our wanderings to find his body, Kyo had fought many an enemy who wanted to keep him from regaining his ultimate power. I almost always got hurt in the process, and I almost always ended up being cared for by Benitora or even Okuni. Never once did Kyo acknowledge my injuries, nor did he act as if my wounds meant anything to him.

Of course, I generally slowed our progress, and I was the worst person to have at one's back in a fight. Deep down, I realize that this is how most of our comrades had seen me. So, why not Kyo?

So, does that mean that he was just using my body last night?

Stifling the urge to cry and throw a tantrum at my own ineptitude, I toss on my kimono and tie it tightly while gathering my things and storming out the door.

Fine, if he's going to be an arrogant bastard, then I have no need to even look in his direction.

As I make my way from the hotel, toward the market place, I can sense Kyo's heavy aura as he paces along behind me. Clenching my teeth in aggravation, I delve into the throng of villagers and vendors. I know that I won't completely lose him in the chaos, but maybe I can get just a few minutes to gather my gibbering thoughts.

I realize that the masses are parting before me as if by magic, and wonder momentarily why. I do not carry a heavy aura like Kyo or Yukimura, nor am I exceptionally beautiful like Okuni or Sakuya. I may be only slightly exotic looking with my blond hair and green eyes, but this village is often visited by foreigners from another island nation known as Britain, so surely I am not enough to create such a spectacle.

Absently, I glance around me, and my eyes are drawn to the shimmer of several mirrors that are for sale at a random stall. I step closer and glare into the shining glass hoping that I am looking at a painting of some other monstrous looking blond woman. Perhaps a rendition of some oni.

No, it's not a demon nor an ogre. It really is my reflection staring wide-eyed at me.

No wonder the villagers are gawking.

My kimono is skewed to the point of revealing way too much shoulder and way too much thigh. My hair, instead of flowing gracefully in waves down my back, is a veritable nest of tangles and looks as if I've tumbled through a wind-blown valley. My face is a mixture of many emotions. My eyes are not vibrantly green this morning and are shadowed beneath because of my lack of rest. However, the green irises are glinting in the reflection with a hint at the anger that I am feeling. And my rage is forming visibly across my shoulders, throat, and cheeks in an unbecoming flush. I can't believe I left my room looking like such a wild beast.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Calm. I need to calm down.

After a few relaxing breaths, I return my sights toward my reflection and quickly readjust myself into something that is somewhat proper. I will definitely have to go back to the room and fix myself before I can continue shopping.

Nodding slightly at myself and setting my jaw resolutely, I pivot on my heel in order to head back to my belongings.

I turn right into something.

Not something, someone.

Someone who is very tall and very squarely built. He is as broad as I am tall, and he is wearing a very heavy looking sword at his hip. Two massive hands bring themselves up to rest on my shoulders, and I have to lean back slightly to see into his face.

His hair is a disheveled orange wreck that hangs to his shoulders, and his face may have been charming once. The scar that travels through his left eye and down his cheek to his chin is wide and garish, and seems painful still. One bright blue eye locks onto mine, and he attempts a smile. Looks more like a grimace to me.

"Hello, there, girlie." He says to me as I lean back even more to try to step away. His hands grow heavier on my shoulders, and I am frozen in place. "Looks like you need some company."

I huff at his forwardness, and cross my arms over my chest.

"Nope, I've had about all the male company I care to, and I actually just want to be left alone." At this, I try to shrug his hands away from my body, cringing at the sensation of control over the situation spiraling out of my hands.

The two distinct snickers that I hear coming from behind me, tell me that I am probably not leaving this place without a 'companion'.

I sigh, and my shoulders slump in a slightly dejected way. What is with men constantly wanting to assert themselves over me? Do I really come across as weak?

Probably...

"I'm sorry, sir, but I am really only out here to buy a bit of breakfast for my husband and me." Perhaps it will be safe to lead these men into thinking that I'm married, and they may have a jealous husband to worry about.

"Can't be too great a guy to let such a beautiful flower roam this dangerous place by herself." One of those massive paws slid its way through my hair, pulling carelessly at the tangled mass. I try not to jerk when the knots pull. "I'll escort you, and then maybe you can come be my wife." A chuckle from one of the men behind us.

I slide my glance to the side of us, and I notice that the entire wave of villagers and shoppers is giving us a wide berth. So, I won't find help here, either.

I decide that perhaps I can get him to let me go long enough to flee, so I look serenely up at him and bat my lashes. I speak in a sugary voice that exudes all of the naivety that a blushing seventeen year old newly wed should have. "I don't know about being your wife, since I am already married, but I could really use an escort to protect me from strangers." I slide my hands over the hulking things that are kneading into my shoulders, and try to hold a bright smile while not squirming under his caresses.

"I've just the place for us." He leans in to whisper in my ear and my eyes water at the astonishing amount of sake and old food on his breath. I really hope he doesn't try to kiss me. I am somewhat relieved when I am able to turn my head enough so that the wayward smooch only grazes my cheek. I dig further into my ruse by finding a blush somewhere in all of the internal struggling that my mind is engaged in.

"Really, can you show me, please?" I think I just giggled.

Using his hands to guide me, the man turns me smartly toward the nearest alley. I find myself thinking of his originality when I am halted abruptly and pulled roughly into the man's chest. My feet dangle nearly a foot off of the ground, and I begin to think that this may not have been such a good idea after all.

I am turned to face him, feet still dangling. I can see his friends, neither as tall nor huge but both just as ugly, posting guard at the end of the alley. My throat goes dry as I take in the rough visage before me, and find my self face to face with a disconcerting leer.

He tries to kiss me again, but I turn my cheek to his lips. Again and again he tries, and each time, I am able to keep my mouth safe.

"Dammit, woman, hold still." He shakes me, and my teeth chatter but I have a plan to get free.

I pull a hot blush to my cheeks, and I turn my gaze downward.

"Ummm, I'm sorry, sir, but I..." My blush deepens. "You are of a much _larger_ build than my husband, and your hands are so great." Again, I blush while running my fingers along his. He gulps, and I know that I will get free. "I only wish to see if what they say about men with large hands is true." I ramble these words out quickly and attempt to hide my red face from sight.

He takes the bait, and laughs heartily.

"Sounds like that husband of yours is not really a man at all." He sets me down and glances back at his comrades who are sharing toothy grins. The tall man reaches to his sash and pulls at the knot hastily.

When he looks back up at me, hands still fumbling at his clothing, he comes nose to barrel with my revolver.

"Now, you will kindly step away and let me go, or I will shoot all three of you." I keep most of the waver from my voice, but there is no mistaking the unsteady grip I hold on my weapon. Even as I bring my other hand up to reaffirm my aim, the man chuckles in my direction.

"You have the nerve to pull that on me, girl? I am Daito the Bear, and I am wanted in every province in Japan. Don't think you can escape me." I've heard of this man before. He is ruthless in both taking what he wants from a woman as well as taking her life when he is through. His bounty has to quite high by now.

I allow a slow smirk as I think that perhaps I can make a little money today.

It is then that I feel the prickle of that unmistakable killing aura. Kyo has grown weary of my running, and he has come to collect me.

The smirk falls when I hear the barely restrained malice in his low-toned voice.

"That is mine. Whoever dares touch her, dies."


	2. Just Breathe

**A/N: It was really hard to write this chapter with the happy and sappy endings that Nora Roberts weaves ciricling in my head. This chapter is a bit intense and fast-paced. Hope you enjoy it. This chapter is dedicated to _Tessa_, who apparently really loved _Consequences of Bathing. _This is my thanks for your support, babe.**

**Please remember the rating as there is much violence and rough love here.**

**I do not own Samurai Deeper Kyo.**

Mind of a Woman, Heart of a Samurai

Just Breathe

I can't breathe.

I never thought that I would die from suffocation. I always assumed that I would meet my end at the point of a sword, such is the life of a bounty hunter. Today, I find my life about to come to an end, and it's all because I can't seem to be able to pull enough air into my lungs.

I don't know what is causing my my body to forget how to breath. Is it the tremendous weight of Kyo's murderous battle aura, or is it the crushing hold Daito the Bear has on my upper body? Or is it the impact of the words that Kyo has just spoken?

He called me his. He claimed me as belonging to him. But, he also called me 'that'. I realize that my inability to breath is actually coming from my brain's struggle at whether I should be ecstatic over Kyo's words, or pissed beyond all reason.

I blink dazedly when I realize that my body is dangling by my shoulders once again, and I remember that I had been standing on my own two feet brandishing my revolver at these men. Apparently, when Kyo made his entrance on the scene, I let my guard down, and the Bear was able to reestablish his hold on my shoulders.

Boy, am I an idiot.

I'm sure Kyo will never let me live this one down.

My captor squeezes my shoulders and gives me grimace of a grin while chortling loudly. His eyes slide above my head to where Kyo stands at the other end of the alley behind me.

"Let me guess. You're the puny husband who let his little gem go out alone without protection from any danger." The terrifying grin gets even broader, and his friends begin to cackle. My already labored breathing hitches again.

"Husband?" Kyo's voice is a deadpan. "I wouldn't marry that ugly thing if she were the last dog on this planet."

I feel my face flush from both mortification and seething anger.

He's really never going to let me live this down.

The giant of a man looks at me once again and chuckles. His pale blue eyes glint, and I just know that he thinks to bargain for me. Hopefully Kyo is in the mind to forgive me my foolishness, but with that particular blood thirsty samurai, once could never know.

Daito speaks to Kyo but continues to stare at me.

"Well, since she is not your wife, then I must ask that you leave business that is not yours alone and be on your way. I have an unfulfilled promise to keep with the lady." Kyo lets out a derisive snort.

"You call that _dog _a lady? Obviously, you have very low standards." I can feel my anger and embarrassment heat my face, and I am very close to fighting my way away from this monster just so that I can wring Demon Eyes Kyo's scrawny neck.

One of Daito's paws move from crushing my shoulder to my cheek where it roughly rubs in what is probably a caress. "Oh, I don't know. She is quite exotic and lovely. I think I'll keep her for myself." And now, he looks back toward Kyo. "Why don't you just disappear and let me have my prize?"

Panic replaces resentment as I don't hear any sort of scathing retort come from my companion. Did he really just leave me here at the whim of this beast? That is when I finally hear my demon speak, and, again, disappointment eats at my soul.

"Personally, I think you need your eyes checked. That woman is unshapely, gangly, and has no breasts to speak of." I see the smirk begin to form on Daito's face as triumph lights his eye, but it turns quickly to a disbelieving scowl when Kyo continues. "But, she is my slave, and my property. I will not have another man touch what is mine, so now you will die."

I will never get used to Kyo's ability to nonchalantly announce his intent to take someone's life.

And this new revelation that I belong to him is just as mind-numbing as the thought that I could actually mean something to the demonic samurai. Yes, I know that those closest to Kyo have made the claim that he holds some sort of affection for me, hence allowing me to become his one and only weakness. And, after the night that we shared, I know that he loves me at least a little. But that man has this undeniable knack for being a real jerk, and apparently he has decided to put his own spin on our 'relationship'.

Well, we'll just have to see about that. When we're alone again...

First, we have to survive Daito the Bear and his cronies.

The murderous intent is just rolling off of Kyo in a dark cloud that is nearly palpable. I wonder if I'm the only person who can see the ominous cloud that is Demon Eyes Kyo's battle aura.

Daito just cracks a smile at Kyo's words.

"Hmmm.... Looks like I'll have to kill you." His cool gaze slides from Kyo to lock with my wide-eyed gape and lingers. "And then I'll take what I want from you right here before I spill your blood on his cold corpse." I can't help the gasp that escapes my lips as I lose my grip on my weapon. My hands fly to my face in shock.

Then, the air is gone from my lungs, and I'm flung against the wall of the alley. I blink to clear my vision, and it takes several attempts to clear the stars from my sight.

Kyo's rage is getting heavier by the second, but I have trouble locating its source. I glance fuzzily around the tiny alley. The fear that wells up into my throat rises into a barely stifled shriek.

Blood. Everywhere.

At the entrance to the alley lie two lumps of quivering flesh and bones that surely had been Daito's friends. They had not even had time to draw their weapons.

I hear the Bear's gravelly chuckle as he taunts Kyo.

"I never expected those two to put up much of a fight. You, on the other hand..." He moves deliberately and fluidly, pulling that massive sword from its scabbard. Smiling even broader, he points the tip directly at Kyo. "You are going be a bit more difficult, a bit more fun."

Kyo's blazing eyes merely darken as his lips turn up, and he flicks the blood from his blade. He brings the red-stained blade to his mouth and runs his tongue along the edge savoring the taste of his victory. He brings the Tenro up to rest on his shoulder as he tosses the scabbard in my direction. I know by default that my duty is now to hold it as he fights his opponent. Those scarlet irises skim across my form, and his countenance darkens even more. This time, though, it is full of hatred.

"I was already planning on killing you, but, now, I'm just tired of looking at you. I'll take pity on you and kill you quickly."

I barely have time to scrabble against the wall, Tenro's case clutched tightly to my chest, before Kyo becomes a blur. He rushes toward Daito, Tenro held aloft. Rarely does Kyo go on the offensive so quickly, and I notice that his aura is weighing so heavily that it is filling the entire alley. Daito moves as swiftly as Kyo does, and I vaguely wonder how he can move with that murderous intent drifting around us.

The two move up and down the alley so quickly that I can't track them until they stop long enough to bring their weapons together. They have become blobs of red and black and orange and blue that whiz from one end of the corridor to the other.

It only takes a few moments for the rapidly moving duel to begin to slow, and I am reassured when I finally catch a glimpse that is long enough to see that Kyo only carries a few tears to his robes. And one long gash to his cheek.

Daito, on the other hand, is not faring so well. His clothing is tattered and torn, and his body is covered in small slices. Kyo has only been toying with the man known as 'The Bear".

When they finally come to a stop, Daito is winded and can barely stand. Kyo only looks slightly ruffled and annoyed. His brows furrow when he scans the alley and his eyes stop on my prone form. I am on my knees, pressed firmly against the wall of a building, holding his scabbard for dear life.

I tilt my head to the side and look back at him. I have never seen that emotion on his face before. I don't even know what it is, and I wonder why he hasn't killed the man already.

Not that I condone cold-blooded murder, but this is Demon Eyes Kyo, and restraint is not exactly his forte.

Just as I'm thinking this, Kyo's face changes. That scorching demonic look rolls back across his features, and I feel my body tremble with something that isn't fear. Before I can even blink, Kyo has spanned the space between himself and his opponent. He runs Daito through with Tenro, then pushes the sword even further into his body so that he can hiss into the man's ear.

"She is mine, and no one will touch her again."

My mind goes blank, and I very nearly teeter into a faint at the raw possession I hear in that whisper. I am pulled back into consciousness by a rather venomous-looking pair of crimson eyes. As he pulls the scabbard from my white-knuckled grip, he speaks words that I'm not sure I understand.

"You will never go anywhere without me by your side again." I stare at him dumbly as that unknown emotion crosses his features again, and I am too shaken by the concerned furrow of his brow to pull up my usual scathing retort. Instead, my knees buckle.

Kyo catches me easily, and, with a sigh, he hefts me across one shoulder. I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself. Of course, that is pretty difficult since I have found myself upside-down.

"Kyo, I can walk." He doesn't so much as break stride as I try to lift myself and wriggle from his grasp. I feel the cold slap of the sheathed Tenro across the backs of my thighs. I return the tap with a balled fist to his back. "I said, I can walk, you idiot." I wiggle harder and am rewarded with another, none-to-gentle, slap across the bottom with the sword."

I hear a few chuckles from passersby, and I feel my cheeks heat up as I realize that I must look absolutely ridiculous slung across a man's shoulders getting a nice firm slap across the ass for my struggles. I must come across as a petulant wife who is getting what she deserves from her husband. I can just see the half-cocked smirk that I know Kyo is carrying.

I carry on struggling while Kyo carries on punctuating my movements with sound swats. By the time we make it to the hotel, my butt is sore and my head aches. I am so mad that I am spitting profanity in all directions, and any other patrons that we pass can only stand aside and gawk with open mouths. When we get to our room, I am roughly tossed onto the futon.

I move to push myself up from the floor but find myself pinned down by a hot male body who seems intent on putting me in my place. I am not in the mood, and I push against him. The words that I want to yell into those smug, beautiful red eyes are lost when he clasps my wrists in a bruising grip and takes my mouth in a demanding kiss. My eyes flutter closed on their own as my body immediately yields to Kyo's power.

When he releases my mouth, I am panting and bleary-eyed. I am no longer angry; I couldn't be, but the knot of desire that has begun to build in my being is tempered by undeniable fear.

I do not fear Kyo. I fear what his will does to mine. He has embarrassed and humiliated me beyond all comprehension this day, but I can't resist him. My body opens to his, even as my mind steels itself for what is to come.

Kyo takes what I have to give. He devours, demands, but does not give back. He does not tease me, nor take time to arouse me. He savages and plunders with hands that bruise and scratch. My body relishes in Kyo's rough caresses, and I find myself more aroused by his apparent desperate need than by any words that he could say.

When he thrusts into me, I wince and cry out. He pauses only briefly, takes my mouth in another ravaging kiss, then sets of at a pace that I can't hold. He has finally released my wrists, and I dig into that surprisingly soft mane of fire and hold on for dear life. My moans and cries are not the stuff of romance stories; they are those of shock and surprise when he pushes in just bit roughly or his teeth scrape just a bit harshly, and I am mollified that Kyo's possession of my body thrills me.

I feel my demon's thrusts become edgier and quicker, and I feel his body tense. With a shuddering breath, he releases himslef into me, whispering my name into my ear with a kiss to the lobe. The sweet tenderness in that one action carries me over the edge that I had thought I would not reach tonight. I quiver around Kyo as he rides out both of our releases.

When I come to my senses, I open my eyes to see that Kyo has retreated from me. He sits, still gloriously naked, against the ledge of the low window. I gather my torn kimono and cover my body as I sit up to face him. His eyes are closed and he refuses to look at me. I feel the tears well, and I cannot stop them before they begin trickling down my cheek.

I cry silently for several moments, swiping the tears away furiously. I don't know why I'm crying. I know what has just transpired here, and I welcomed it. I had thought that I had become something special to Demon Eyes Kyo, but now I know better. He sees me as his property to use as he sees fit, and I know that. The problem is, that I will let him use me however he likes. Just so long as I can stay by his side. And that is the reason for my tears. I have not only become Kyo's weakness, but I have become my own. My love for him is my weakness.

I lift my knees to my chest and bury my face in them. I try to stifle my tears, as Kyo sees them as weak, but they will not stop. So, I sob and sniffle quietly to myself as a sated demon ignores me from the corner.

Then, I feel a subtle shift on the bedding behind me. I feel a soft hand trail through my hair, followed by the other. My body stiffens, but his hands continue to run soothingly down the path that my hair makes across my spine. He continues to do this for several minutes, and I finally calm down enough to raise my head and look questioningly at him over my shoulder. He gives my that cocky smirk, but the lines of anger have receded from his face and eyes.

"Your hair is a disaster."


	3. Chill

**A/N: Oh my God! I'm sorry about taking so long to update. It's just that I've recently found these really awesome Vegeta/Bulma fics by an author named _temptingtemptation_ on MediaMiner. I thinks she's on here, too, but the fics on MediaMiner aren't censored. They are beautifully written, and I couldn't bring myself to do anything else until I had read through them. Definitely give these a look up.**

**Sorry this chapter is horribly short, but it is absolutely necessary.**

**I unfortunately do not have green eyes nor do I have blond hair, so I cannot possibly have any claim on Mibu Kyo.**

Mind of a Woman, Heart of a Samurai

Chill

I've decided that I hate winter. Well, not really winter per se. I guess I just hate winter nights.

It's been two weeks since the day that Kyo killed the man who had lured me into an alley and tried to have his way with me. It's been two weeks since Kyo placed his claim on me and made that claim real by possessing my body violently.

Two weeks since I cried helplessly afterward at my own weakness and futility, while Kyo comforted me in his own awkward way. I remember soothing hands running through my hair as I tried to rein in my emotions, and I remember his smirking face as he told me what a disaster my hair was. I also remember beginning to smile in relief before noticing the blood smeared across his face and down his neck. I raised a hand to trace the cut along his cheek and noticed the blood that had leaked onto my hand as well. Kyo sat still while I bustled about finding a yukata to cover myself and searching out what I needed to clean his face.

After cleansing the wound and bandaging it to the best of my abilities, I decided to spend the afternoon in a bath. As I rose to gather my supplies, Kyo had asked me where I was going. Upon telling him, I saw his eyes narrow and that dangerous glint make its way back into the irises. Standing and grabbing his sword, he made to follow me. I tried to argue but was cut off with a very feral sounding growl. I decided that perhaps now was not the time to assert my independence, what with Kyo still being so angry with how he had found me earlier in the day.

Kyo managed to glare his way into the ladies' bath, while sending any other patrons and attendants tittering out of the place. I tried to tell the idiot that I could bathe myself and that he didn't need to babysit me, to which he only grunted and turned his back in my direction. I endured his presence as I washed myself, watching as Kyo's blood sluiced from my skin.

We left the village after my bath. We stopped only long enough to buy warm clothing before heading out of town. I wondered about the clothing that Kyo purchased, as our custom was to travel during the day while bunking in inns at night. That evening, only a few miles outside of the village that we had just left, I found out Kyo's plans.

He is such an idiot.

Now, I find myself camped out on the outskirts of another village, freezing my ass off as my stupid companion warms himself by sitting against a tree drinking himself silly by way of fresh sake. My new clothes do keep me a tad bit warmer that my short kimono had, but there's only so much that dark hakama and an equally dark suikan can do for a woman's body heat.

I can't build a fire, as it will attract animals or other people. So, I wrap myself in blankets and fight to keep warm until I'm so exhausted that my body shuts itself down. Otherwise my constant shivering would not allow me any sleep at all.

As I hunker down for another long night of freezing temperatures and heat-leeching ground, my teeth begin their incessant chattering.

"Woman, I've warned you about that noise while I'm trying to sleep. If you don't stop, I'll be forced to stop it for you." I tighten my jaw with an audible click of teeth as I try to pull myself together. I know this is an empty threat on Kyo's part, but I also know that he is not above finding a way to torture me just because he thinks I disobeyed him on purpose.

I wish that I could smother my feelings for him, if anything just to get away from him long enough to find a warm bed to sleep in. But, Kyo does not let me out of his sight. Even to go to the bathroom; he follows me and waits as I do my business, which is highly embarrassing.

So, I find myslef tired, travel-weary, cold, and agitated with my travel companion. He seems to revel in seeing me so uncomfortable because we have been at this for two weeks, and I can't see any sign of fatigue on him whatsoever.

At first I couldn't understand why he refused to stay in the villages that we passed. He would say that he didn't like the feel of the place, or that he thought my ugly face would scare the villagers away. But, then I started to realize that, when we did go into a town, Kyo never let me move more than an arm's length away. He always had his eye on me. And in the past day or so, I would feel his hand on my shoulder or back as a reminder that he was there.

I think that just maybe we are staying away from populated areas because Demon Eyes Kyo wants to keep me all to himself. But, I just can't understand why we go into towns during the day, but he won't let us stay there at night.

So, I spend night after night with my teeth chattering, hating winter more and more, and feeling more and more confused by my protector.

Well, he's going to have to let me out of his sight soon. We're getting low on money, which means I'll have to track down a pretty reasonable bounty in the next couple of days. Kyo has never been interested in how I get money, just as long as there's plenty for his evening drink and smoke, so he usually leaves me to hunt criminals on my own. Ah, perhaps I'll get a few hours alone. I feel a smile curve my lips as I think about the possibilites, and I'm able to drift off to sleep with ryo signs filling my head.

xxxxxxx

I'm warm. Actually, no, I'm hot. Unbearably hot.

My senses are rudely jarred when my body comes to terms with the fact that I am uncomfortable. It takes a few minutes for my muddled mind to realize that, not only am I not suffering from severe cold, but that I am also not aching from head to toe from sleeping on the hard, frozen ground. I peek my eyes open to get a sense of my surroundings, and I'm shocked to find that I am being cradled in Kyo's lap. My head is pillowed against his chest, where I can feel the slow rise and fall of his deep breaths as well as the low thump of his heart. My body stiffens on its own.

Kyo hasn't touched me since that day two weeks ago. He has barely even looked at me. When I am graced with a look into those cold dark eyes, all I see is anger. My insecurities claw at my insides, and I decide that this is perhaps not the best place for me to wake up. What if Kyo wakes and wonders why I'm in his lap even though he's the one who put me there?

"Would you stop fidgeting so much, woman?" He doesn't even open his eyes, nor raise his head from its relaxed position. I feel his breath ghost along the crown of my head as I raise my hand to place it on his chest in an effort to push out of his grasp. "Don't even think about moving. I can't spend one more night listening to you whine and snivel in your sleep because you are so cold."

Yup, I officially hate winter. About as much a I hate Mibu Kyo.

I huff irritably before extricating my body from its indecent resting place. Any person passing by would have taken one look at a young girl sitting in a man's lap under a tree at this time of night and thought her a whore. Well, I guess they wouldn't be too far from the truth.

I leap to my feet as my mind begins to jump to conclusions. Am I really just his whore? He didn't seem to have much trouble exerting his dominance over me, but he hasn't even looked at me lustily since then. Is he just waiting for a time when he's in the right mood to take what I have to offer? What happens the next time? Will I let him have my body again?

These terrifying questions race through my mind. I suddenly can't breath, and the sharpness of the cold night air reminds me too much of what Kyo's mouth tastes like.

I run.

I know that I won't get far. He may let me run for a while before he turns my desperation into a game. He may not come immediately, but he will come. And I'll be his helpless prey.

"Where do you think you're going, woman?" His tone is sharp and not quite as controlled as usual. I glance quickly over my shoulder at the strange sound of his voice, but the look in his eyes sends me fleeing even faster.

It is that unknown, hooded look in his blood-colored irises that frightens me. I can understand his rage, hatred, anger. But, this new look that he has been showing me of late is horrifying. I don't know what it means, and I don't know how to react to it. I only know that it has something to do with how he perceives me, and that confuses me even more. I know what I am to Demon Eyes Kyo, but why does he look at me like that?

I feel the hot sting of tears prickle the corners of my eyes, and I will them away. They do show how weak I am, and I am tired of my weakness. It's bad enough that I am running, and I really don't want to cry while doing so. The hot liquid blurs my vision, and I stumble on a tree root. Before I am able to right myself, I feel a steel-like grip on my upper arm.

I haven't even managed to get out of our little clearing, and Kyo has already moved to catch me. He tugs on my arm, and pulls me to face him. I am nose to chest with my demon, but I cannot bring myself to look up at him like I normally would. I just stand there stupidly eyeballing the folds of Kyo's suikan for several minutes. I feel the tensity of his muscles in the hard hold on my arm, and I belatedly realize that he is warring with his own nature. He wants to preen at my blatant submission, but he is insulted that I still fear his reactions to my movements and refuse to look at him.

It takes a few minutes of us standing in the middle of that lonely clearing, as the winter night's moon moves over our heads. The evening is clear and stark in its depths of cold, and it takes no time for me to feel the chill begin to seep into my bones. I look up at Kyo, uncertainty furrowing my brows.

He glares down at me for several long seconds, several emotions flitting across his equally furrowed brows. With every passing second, my body tenses to match his. Finally, his features school themselves into his patented look of indifference. But I also feel the soft glide of his free hand as it smooths its way behind me and down my flowing hair. His fingers pass through my tresses, almost absently, a few more times before he speaks again. His voice is deadly calm, causing the hairs on my arms to stand on end. I feel a shiver tug from my spine and tingle throughout my body.

"You are mine. And you will not leave my side again." His hand fists in my hair, and he tugs hard enough to force my sightless gaze to lock with his. His features have hardened into a mask of superiority and control; the face of the man who had been in line to rule the Mibu clan. At this moment, I see the real Mibu Kyo; the ruthless killer, the helpless pawn, the demonic child, the damaged man.

And, at this moment, I see myself reflected in his eyes. The girl who loves both the monster and the man. I whimper my acknowledgement, since I cannot move my head for fear of losing some of my hair. Nor can I speak; my throat feels as if I've swallowed sand. I can only hope that he understands my pathetic attempt.

He grips my hair harder for another moment, his fiery gaze burning into me.

Before I have a chance to gather my wits, we are back under the tree, and I am being pulled into his lap once again. I give one futile push in an attempt to protest, as I still can't seem to find my voice. Kyo responds by pulling me tighter into his embrace and burying his face in the hair at the back of my head. I find my ear pressed directly against his heart, and I am immediately lulled by the steady beat.

"Just quite bitching and go back to sleep."

The deeply rumbled sentence washes over me, and I am too far gone to even think about getting angry over his words.


	4. Spiral Downward

**A/N: Hey, hey! I'm back!! Cheers and confetti and the like...um okay maybe not. As I dodge the knives and shuriken thrown in my general vicinity. Okay, now for the apologies. I am sooo sooo sorry for the delay in updating. I have lived through hell at work and needed some time to recover. I will try to refrain from making you wait so long again. Now, I am also sorry for the length of this chapter. Believe me, I struggled with making it longer. I like the content, as it sets up a new dynamic for our couple (one that I really had not meant to go in), and the content is actually pretty profound, but it's just so SHORT! Anyways, enjoy. Thanks muches to my ever faithful readers and reviewers. And flowers to the ladies who have given me great support. Those would be _earthbender 068_ and _Tessa_. Just remember, that while I don't always reply to review, I don read and adore them. They give my sunshine on tough days.**

**Alright, on with it already.**

**I do not own Demon Eyes Kyo, but I do wish my man had his eyes.**

Mind of a Woman, Heart of a Samurai

Spiral Downward

I honestly never thought that loving a man could be a daunting task.

Wondrous, exciting, invigorating, stimulating. Definitely.

The stories that I had heard as an orphan learning how to ride horses and plow fields told me that true love is something to grasp with both hands and hold on to tightly.

I would love to grab onto the object of my affection with both hands and tightly wring his neck!

Mibu Kyo is such an infuriating man. But what angers me the most is that I just can't bring myself to walk away from him.

Granted, he never lets me out of his sight these days, and he stalks me like I'm some sort of prey held captive. But, surely, if I was fed up with this life of wandering from town to town and sleeping in the frozen forests, he'd let me leave. Right?

Of course he would. This is Demon Eyes Kyo, after all. And while, he may see me as some sort of possession, he definitely has no affection for the little blonde wraith that finds herself sleeping in his arms every night.

It's been some time since we made our current travel arrangements. Visiting villages by day, but moving out of their shadows into the woods by night. The winter has begun to bleed into spring, and even the nights have gotten warmer. I no longer need to sleep in Kyo's arms for warmth, and I am sure that he realizes this. Still, he allows me that warmth and comfort every evening. I still have no idea why Kyo won't let us stay in a hotel at least every once in a while. Hence my dilemma and the very noticeable throbbing vein in my forehead which is accompanied by an irritating eye twitch.

I would kill for a hot bath.

And I think I'll start with a certain red-haired, crimson-eyed samurai.

"If you don't book a room at a hotel in this village, Kyo..." His slanted glare frustrates me even more as he doesn't even deign to turn in my direction when I address him. Instead, he keeps walking.

I stop walking and stomp a foot. I know how childish it looks, but I just can't bring myself to care. I make it even more so by crossing my arms over my chest and sticking out my lower lip. I know that pouting and whining is not going to sway Kyo, but I just can't help it. He just makes me so mad.

After a few more steps, my companion realizes that I'm longer striving to keep up with his long stride. He stops but does not turn toward me.

"Come on, ugly, we've got to get into town for supplies so that we have enough daylight to travel by before we make camp. I don't want to be able to see this place when we stop for the night." The fact that it is his back addressing me and not his face, fuels my ire.

My arms uncross and dangle at me sides, hands clenching into fists. I grind my teeth together, trying to hold in the anger that only succeeds in making me look more unfeminine. I fail miserably and speak words that I regret immediately.

"I know I'm ugly. I know I'm nothing compared to Lady Sakuya or even Okuni. And I know you think I'm helpless and weak. I don't really understand why you let me tag along with you, but..." At this point, he finally turns toward me, a look of mild shock creasing his brow. I falter at that look but take a deep breath and plunge back into my thoughts. "Kyo, it's just that I need a break. Either we find an inn to stay at for a few days, or I'm going my own way."

Before I even get the last word past my lips, I am gripped tightly by both arms, and my body is raised from the ground so that we are eye level. The fire in his face scorches me, and I close my eyes and turn my face away. Kyo's words are hissed through clenched teeth.

"You belong to me, slave. I'll kill you before you leave me." Forgetting that in the past, Kyo never once thought twice about killing anyone who dared challenge him, I break my submissive pose and shoot him my own scorching look.

If I could move my arms, I would be poking him in the chest, but for now I can only ball my hands into tight fists while my toes search for purchase on the ground as they only barely touch the dirt. I put every ounce of venom I can into my words.

"Listen here, you jerk! Ever since I met you, I've been hunted, terrified, beaten, and nearly killed, and never once did I leave your side. But, so help me, if you keep treating me like this, I'll be gone one day when you wake up." Color drains from Kyo's face as he sets me down. He does not remove his hands from holding my arms as those cold red eyes rake searchingly across my face.

"You wouldn't dare." The words are whispered almost lovingly, but I feel nothing but cold pressure from their meaning.

"Keep treating me like your whore, and you'll see just how much I would." Startled, Kyo releases me as I shake myself at the tone I had used. I've never heard that tone, nor words as such come from my own mouth. And I know that those words bite into Kyo with terrible force. My hands fly to my mouth as if I can hide the evidence of having ever spoken them.

He turns his back to me. It is the strongest, most beautiful back ever imagined. That back has shouldered my own weakness countless times, but now it is slightly hunched forward as Demon Eyes Kyo is visibly stricken by the words of a tactless teen-aged girl.

My words hang bitterly in the air, and I wish I could take then back.

I approach his form and reach up to touch his shoulder, but he flinches hard. My hand is shaken away as he speaks cold words, not to me but at me.

"Fine. I won't touch you again unless you ask it of me." It is my turn to flinch as I hear the raw pain in those words. I never wanted to let Kyo know my deepest feelings of what he had done to me after my near kidnapping. I had understood his need, and I had welcomed it. The problem wasn't his intimacy with my body. I problem lay in his inability to be intimate with _me_.

I had known the consequences of loving a demon, but now my own frailty as an emotional woman has closed his heart to me.

Without even a glance or a word, Kyo begins walking once again. Fully aware that, in my state of being, I would never have a chance against whomever I may meet once alone, I follow the Mibu prince.

He pauses briefly as if startled by the fact that I am following him. After only a moment, he lets out a low predatory growl but says nothing. I hesitate thinking that I have insulted him beyond all belief before he pauses again. It takes a few blinks and some serious focusing on my part for me to realize that my companion has not completely forsaken me. He is waiting for me to make up my mind.

I take a step toward him as he begins walking in the direction of a nearby village.

"I knew you would never leave me." I barely hear what is said and my ire at my own predictability causes the muscles in my jaw to tighten. I don't dare open my mouth to rail at him for his callousness, as I'm lucky to still even be alive. As we reestablish our pace, only now I'm struggling to walk a few steps behind Kyo as opposed to trying to stay at his side, I stew at my own stupidity and glare at Kyo's back.

Mibu Kyo's back is truly glorious, but it is not the part of him I wish to see the most.

How could I be so stupid as to voice my own hurt to a man who had not even blinked at killing over a thousand men before he had ever met me?

I really am an idiot, just like he always tells me.

We walk for what seems like hours, and I am terribly bored. However, I know better than to try to talk to my protector. Where, before, he had always let me ramble on excitedly as he pretended to not listen, now I am afraid that he may kill me if I so much as utter a sound.

I find my mind wandering to our nights of love-making. Both had been completely different, one sweet and satisfying, the other wild and intoxicating. Then, there were our nights camping where he held me close to keep me warm. On those nights, Kyo had been as stoic as ever, but he held me with a gentleness I had not known possible. All-in-all, my encounters with the man who was to be the Mibu Red King had been delectable.

Suddenly, I am jarred out of my thoughts as I walk head-first into said prince's back. I raise my hands to push away from him and notice that his muscles are tense and quaking.

"Wha..?" My question is cut of by a gruff voice that I barely recognize.

"If you don't want to be treated like a whore, stop thinking like one. I can smell you, and it makes me sick."

I pale as Kyo's words sink into my idiotic skull. I had forgotten all about his enhanced senses. They are a godsend in battle, but at moments like these... That is when the weight of his words crash into me. Hard.

I make him sick. The smell, or perhaps just the thought of my arousal, angers him to the point of ruthless words. I've made the man that I love more than the world hate me.

I lower my head to hide my tears, but I hear his agitated growl anyways. He knows his words have hurt me, but he will not comfort me. Even if he were that type of man, I would not allow it. He has hurt me much like I have hurt him.

Is this what we will be for one another? An endless source of pain and anger?

I will not allow that. I cannot. Kyo has been the receptacle of the wrath and disdain of so many others. I will not allow myself to be both his weakness and his pain.

I am going to find a way to leave his side.

I'm sure he'll kill me when I try, but at least he would be free of me then.

Kyo stops again, and this time I am able to move up next to him instead of plowing right into the man. I glance up at his face in question, but he ignores me as his gaze fixes on something in the distance. I follow the path of his vision and see the tiny village nestled in a small valley just below us. It will only take us about another hour to get there.

Then what? We gather supplies then move on and make camp at dusk. Then, I climb into Kyo's lap as if nothing had happened between us. Yeah, even I'm not that stupid.

After we make our short trek into the village, I make to move into the small market area at its center. Kyo does not join me. When I glance back at him, I see that he has taken several steps in the opposite direction of me. He stands with his head tilted and eyes raised at a sign over his head.

He then turns his gaze back toward me over his shoulder, and I look up to see what had caught his attention. I feel faint as Kyo gives me another pointed frown before ducking into the building for which the sign was advertisement.

Kyo has just walked into an inn.


	5. Mood Swing

**A/N: And we're back!! I'm pretty excited about this chapter, so I really hope you all like it. It's a little bit lighter, but we get a little more sense of Kyo's side of things. I think. Anyway, read, review, and enjoy. I also want to give a great big ole hug to _earthbender068_ and _Tessa_ for being so supportive of my little break down. To all of you others who have reviewed, favorited, and alerted..._Did you ever know that you're my hero? You're everything I wish I could be.._ ahem, sorry, the silly-just-survived-a-Monday-from-hell Bunny came out for just a second. Hold on while I beat the beast back into the closet...Hey, is anyone even still reading this note? Why? Shouldn't you have moved on to the chapter by now? Okay, okay, shutting up now.**

**The characters from Samurai Deeper Kyo are not mine.**

Mind of a Woman, Heart of a Samurai

Mood Swing

I feel my eyes bulge as I stare open-mouthed at the door through which Kyo has disappeared. Slowly, I blink a few times, trying to clear my vision.

Surely, I am mistaken.

I look up at the sign that hangs above the door. Maybe it's the glare refracted from the dimming light. I shield my eyes from the overly bright rays of the setting sun. The make-shift shade adjusts my vision just enough to read the sign against the contrast of shadow and light that plays in the twilight.

It is an inn.

I look back at the door, even more confused than ever. Kyo has had this startling aversion to staying in inns ever since the day a few weeks ago when I was nearly kidnapped. The day that he had taken his rage and anger out on my body.

I swallow around the lump that has formed in my throat. Kyo had refused to stay in any sort of hotel even when we were getting along, but I don't understand why he is willing to stay in one now. I am of the thought that he hates me, considering our last words to one another were spoken out of anger. That, and I had told him that I wanted to leave him. He had dared me to leave, calling my bluff. That man knows good and well that I love him too much to leave his side. Plus, there is the fact that I know that I am perfectly incapable of protecting myself.

How the hell had I managed as a bounty hunter until just a little over a year ago? And I was so young, at that.

I am pulled out of my stunned and unbidden thoughts by Kyo's angry growl.

"Unless you want to spend another night on the cold hard ground, you best get in here and pay for a room."

Yeah, he's still pissed at me. And, I also realize that had we stayed another night in the wilderness, I would be camping on the frozen ground. Kyo will probably never again hold me in his lap in order to keep me from freezing to death.

I sigh at my own stupidity and make my way to the door. Kyo waits long enough from me to step into the building before turning his back to me and leading me to the front desk. Immediately, all thoughts are forced out of my head as I begin my bartering session with the owner. Fortunately, the manager is intimidated by Kyo's angry presence and has the frame of mind not to cheat me too badly. Had I been alone, I would have been paying triple our room's worth as opposed to only double.

As we are shown to our room, the housekeeper bypasses the usual chatter about the village and its attractions. Instead, she tosses Kyo rather indiscreet looks over her shoulder as if she realizes how dangerous he is while garnering excitement from his intensity. Her non-verbal yet shameless flirting sets me on edge, and I find myself grinding my teeth in frustration.

I can't say anything for fear of angering Kyo even more. Unknown to the housekeeper, I understand so much about the man behind whom I am walking. He may be powerfully and gorgeously built, but he is also sinister and dark. He had been created for a terrible purpose, and that creation haunts him to this day. Where, to other women, he exudes sexuality, I can feel his battle aura. Kyo is barely containing his anger, and it is only building the longer we walk behind the woman.

Why is he so worked up? I haven't spoken to him in hours, and the flirty girl in front of him is much to his normal lecherous desires. On a normal day, Kyo would be content with this dynamic, and it would shownin the lightening of his aura as well as the lifting of the look of malice from his eyes. I certainly don't understand Kyo today any more than I did when I first met him.

We make it to our room, and I nearly smack into Kyo's back once again as I am not paying much attention to my surroundings. My mind is swirling too much with my current state of turmoil. I hate myself for opening my big mouth, I hate Kyo for making me feel useless, and I definitely hate the little tart in front of me who has latched herself onto my companion's arm. She pulls on said arm to get him to lean to the side so that she can whisper into his ear. Discreet she is not, and I gasp and feel my cheeks flame in a blush as I understand the meaning of her words. Kyo slants a look in my direction and stuns me with a slow nod to the girl.

He is only agreeing in order to taunt me, and I don't disappoint him. In fact, I play my role splendidly. I huff while wrinkling my nose at the offensive girl. This display is followed by me forcing myself between them in the pretense that I would like to get into my room. I stand in the middle of the tiny suite, hands on hips, attempting to rein in my frustration, but, then, I am assaulted with more of the hussy's murmured comments. She then titters this high-pitched squealing laugh, and I don't understand how Kyo, what with his sensitive ears, doesn't send her flying through the shoji.

Finally, he enters the room and closes the door behind him. I am flooded with the flashback of another night in which the scene was similar. Only, that night, I felt bonded to him as only a lover can. Now, I feel morose and dejected.

His aura flares even darker before he contains it and moves to his usual seat by the window.

"Dinner will be delivered soon."

He doesn't even look at me when he speaks, and I feel awkward and alone. Normally, I would be nattering on about anything that I could just to fill the silence in the hopes that he was listening to me. Now, I know that he would not welcome my voice, so I sigh heavily and move to the low vanity in order to unpack our things.

I lay out our clothing on the table and place my few feminine items across the vanity top. I busy myself with cleaning my weapon and placing powder and balls into little bags that I call 'rounds' so that it will not take me so long to load my weapon after firing.

"I really need to practice," I murmur to myself, not even realizing that I have spoken out loud.

Before long, there is a swift knock to the door that startles me out of the soothing repetition of oiling and polishing my pistol. I look up sharply and see that kyo had been doing the same with Tenro. The five-foot long sword shines with an ethereal glow, and I remember just how powerful Kyo has to be in order to wield the demonic weapon.

Kyo grunts at the disturbance, and I blink myself out of my stupor just in time to see three very lovely geisha enter the room with our food trays in hand. Once of them ambles up to me in that short-stepped, floating gait of theirs and all but tosses my plate in my general direction before rushing back to Kyo's side.

I pull myself together quickly enough to catch my food before it ends up in a heap on the floor, but the miso sloshes and I end up with half of it in my lap.

I heave another sigh before reaching to my backpack and rummaging in it for an extra oil cloth so that I can cover the mess residing between my legs.

There is that disgusting high pitched titter that belongs to the girl from earlier, and I look up to see the geisha eyeing me speculatively. They are all holding their hands to their mouths as if trying to cover their snickers at my expense. I only see cold red irises as I realize that Kyo is watching me as well.

I feel tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and I close them in an effort to will the embarrassment away. I hadn't spilled the soup through my own clumsiness, but I still feel like a complete moron in front of these sophisticated women. I'm plain, clumsy, young, and inexperienced.

What would Mibu Kyo ever want with me?

Attempting to hold myself together while claiming as much dignity as possible, I lay the tray to the side and climb to my feet. I pull fresh clothing from the pile on the table and head to the door, keeping my head low and ns looking in their direction. I bump into the rock solid form of my traveling companion, his black kimono obscuring everything in my line of sight. How does he move so fast, especially with three women previously wrapped around him? I step back and look up at him, a frown creasing my brows.

"Where are you going?" He doesn't touch me, he merely returns my frown with narrowed and suspicious eyes.

"I have soup all over me. I'm going to take a bath!" I counter angrily as I jump to the defensive. What is Kyo up to now?

"Come on, Kyo-san, let her go pity herself somewhere else." This is the same girl from before.

"Yeah, Kyo-sama, come let us entertain you, while your dog cleans herself." The new voice is almost as harsh as the first. Kyo's eyes narrow even more as he looks from me to the group of women beckoning to him.

"Kyo-kun, why would you want to be with such a cow, when you could have three beauties such as us." This last voice is the most abrasive of all, and I close my eyes once again willing the tears to not fall. I can't let them get to me, I just can't. A lone drop finds its way out of my shuttered lid and slides down my cheek. I feel a very brief pressure where the tear suddenly disappears from my skin, and my eyes flash open as I realize that Kyo has wiped it away. I look up to him, but he is still gazing at the other women.

"Get out." The words are barely audible even to me, but I know that the others have heard them. They all three begin whining at Kyo to come to his senses. Suddenly, his aura spikes enough to be felt by all in the room, probably even the building. "I said, get out." This time, the words are spoken through gritted teeth with barely restrained anger.

The geisha can't get out of our room fast enough as they stumble over one another in their tightly wrapped yukata and obi.

I sigh, for probably the millionth time tonight, and move to step around Kyo. He grips my arms tightly and growls.

"Where are you going?"

This time, I look up at him, to see that his crimson eyes are sparkling brightly in the candlelight, but that they seem to have lost some of their anger.

"It's like I've already said, I need to take a bath. This soup is going to get all crusty and I don't really want my crotch to smell like old miso soup."

Kyo just snorts at my words as he releases me before stooping to the floor to snag Tenro. He then returns to my side, pushing to shoji open. I gawk at him, not really sure what he's up to now. He steps through the doorway as he states his intentions as if they are the most obvious of all.

"I told you that you can't leave my side, so I'm coming with you."

Once again, I find myself gaping open-mouthed at Kyo's back. He had given me the option to leave his side only a matter of hours ago. Then again, he had probably known that I wouldn't be able to leave, no matter how much I tried to convince both of us that I could. I cock my head to the side, watching his back as he moves down the corridor, wondering about his shift in mood. Just now, I am reminded of the Kyo that made love to me then asked me to stay by his side, the man who let me sleep in his arms to siphon his body heat. This is not the belligerent and derogatory man who I had fought with earlier today.

"My patience is wearing thin, woman. If you do not hurry, you won't get to bathe tonight, and then you'll have to deal with a crusty miso smelling crotch." I can hear the smirk from my end of the hall.

Okay, so maybe he is still an asshole.


	6. Into the Dark

**A/N: Another exciting, and very late, chapter to my little party. Now, before anyone goes all psycho on me for the weird ending to the chapter, let me remind you that I can't help my stupid romantic nature, and that this monster goes where it wants to. I only sit at the keyboard, and the story shapes itself. So, take this chapter as you like. Either it's really OOC, or it's not. Either way, it works toward my goal in this fic. Which is, of course, lots of nekkid Kyo...ahem.**

**Samurai Deeper Kyo and the other characters are not mine. Well, maybe Taki and the nasty geisha. Why do I get all the crappy characters?**

Mind of a Woman, Heart of a Samurai

Into the Dark

The night is cool. I would actually call it brisk, as one can sense the promise of the upcoming spring in the not-so-frigid air. I discard my clothing haphazardly at the edge of the bath and dip a toe into the depths to gauge its temperature. Exquisitely warm, but not hot enough to scald my flesh. Just how I like it.

I make my way into the pool, submerging my feet, legs, and thighs. The heat of the water is just enough to make me catch my breath as I feel the water come up around my hips and bottom. I sit in the very center of the bath, so that I can luxuriate in the steam and heat that I have been craving for weeks.

My eyes slide closed as I inhale the damp, hot air before dipping my head back enough to wet the full length of my hair. I never tie my tresses on top of my head when I bathe. That is a practice that I cannot quite fathom. When I clean my body, I take much pleasure in cleaning my hair as well.

Once my hair is wet enough to soap up for my washing ritual, I open my eyes just enough to grope along the edge of the pool to find my soap. I am startled to see the burning red irises of my companion through the hazy air.

Kyo is watching me intently from his perch near the door. He has seated himself with his back to the shoji, legs crossed with Tenro propped against a shoulder. He looks relaxed, but I know better. His heavy aura is flaring in a threat to all around to stay away from the bath, and his grip on the sword is white-knuckled. He is tense and ready for a fight.

I had hoped that he would have the decency to turn his back while I bathed, but this is Mibu Kyo, after all. When he's not terrorizing the countryside's most powerful swordsmen, he's ransacking the brothels.

In a very feeble attempt at nonchalance, I find the soap and commence to lathering my hair. The house soap is delightful with a very soft hint of orchids, and I think that I may take some with me when we leave. I pretend to focus on running my fingers through my locks, as I watch Kyo through my eyelashes. He is stiff as if poised to go on the attack at any moment. I wonder at why he feels so threatened, but then I realize that it's because we are alone together.

I had not exactly been kind to him earlier. But, then again, he had not been kind to me. It only takes a brief moment for me to make up my mind to apologize. Perhaps he would like to indulge in a bath, as well?

I rinse my hair with the bucket provided, wishing that there was a better way to do so without half drowning myself. Once I have finished with my hair, I turn my attention to my brooding companion.

"Hey, Kyo." I call lightly, afraid that he may be angered if I yell too loudly. It had seemed earlier that my very voice irritated him. "Since you made everyone leave so that we could have the place to ourselves, why don't you join me.." I gulp audibly at the angry glint in the two crimson beads that hang in the air by the door. "I, I mean, you _do_ need a bath too."

Before I can finish, I hear a low growl as Kyo sneers in my direction. "How very whorish of you to offer to take a bath with a man." I can feel the flush hit my cheeks even through the damp heat of the air. Apparently, Kyo is no longer feeling generous, and that he's beck to holding a grudge about my words this afternoon. This man's mood swings are atrocious.

It takes me several seconds to clear both the frustration and hurt from my fuzzy mind. But I rein in my emotions to come up with a compromise.

"Well, at least let me wash your hair."

Apparently that is the wrong thing to say.

Kyo stands abruptly, and no where near as gracefully as normal. He curls his lip in an even more disdainful glare as his jaw flexes angrily. He then curtly turns and leaves me to my bath.

Alone.

What the hell just happened?

I finish my bath hastily and toss on a light weight bathing yukata, then return to our room. Outside the door, I stop and take a deep breath preparing myself to heap apologies all over my companion. I'm not really sure what I have done to invoke so much anger, but I damned sure am not going to sleep with him that pissed at me. Who knows what he'd do to me while I slept.

Letting the breath out of my lungs in a 'whoosh', I slide the shoji open as I launch right into my apology. Before I even get the first words out, I pause.

He's not here.

Okay, so maybe he's in the brothel.

I make my way into the sitting room, where the girls wait to be invited to a room. There are a few men here sitting in groups with several of the girls, all of whom are decked out in all of their finery. I look down at my thin yukata and pull the gaping neck closed with both hands. Several of the men sweep lingering looks over my body, but thankfully they all return to their previously bought entertainment.

Some of the geisha send me dagger-filled glares as if they think I'm out to steal their earnings for the night.

It only takes a quick glance around the room to see that Kyo is not in here, and that I really need to leave before one of these guys tries to buy an evening with the 'scantily-clad-gaijin".

Oops. Too late.

I cringe visibly as I feel a sweaty hand grip my elbow. My grip on the front of my clothing tightens as I turn to try to free myself. I try to shrug his hold from my arm, but his fingers dig into the flesh.

"Hey, honey, how about you spend some time with me?" The man is very non-descript, as he looks like most other natives from the area with his dark eyes and dark hair. The hand on my arm is slimy, though, and I let go of my yukata long enough to push his hand away from my skin. The resulting gap in the cloth has him ogling my revealed throat. "You are a pretty one, aren't you? Only gaijin have that skin tone. I wonder if you can even speak Japanese?"

Before I can pull my frazzled brain together in order to scathe him with a retort, the most unlikely savior comes to my rescue.

"Oh, Taki-sama. That one's deaf and dumb, and she's been tainted by the most vile of creatures. You don't want her, she'll make your dick shrivel up." The man's hand leaves my skin at blinding speed as he wipes his palm across the front of his clothing. "Now come here, Taki, and I'll show you a much better time than that _dog_ ever could."

The man trots hastily over to the woman who had escorted Kyo and myself to our room when we first arrived. She was also one of the women whom Kyo had kicked out of our room for insulting me. The smug look on her face as she gives me a meaningful stare before focusing on her client, must mean that she thinks she insulted me terribly.

Actually, I coudn't care how she had described me, just so long as that man was no longer touching me.

I could thank her for that. I don't think I will, though.

Completely done in by all of the bizarre experiences that I can handle for the evening, I decide to return to my room. Kyo is still not there, and I really worry about where he has gone off too. He's probably out taking out his anger on some witless loser who had the idiocy to challenge him. I just hope he doesn't kill too many people.

I stop at that thought. It shocks me that I have come so accustomed to Kyo's violent nature that I accept without a qualm how easily he can kill a person.

I don't know which I find more appalling.

I think I hate myself just a little at my acceptance of Kyo's nature. I should not condone his actions, I should be trying to show him that killing is not the answer to his problems.

Of course, he is a samurai, and fighting to gain superiority is kind of their way of life.

I find myself dwelling on this aspect of Kyo's life more and more as I settle into my bedding. My restless mind refuses to come to terms with either side of my quandary. Either I accept that Kyo is a killer, or I try to change him. However, I do not like how easily he takes lives, nor do I want him to be anything other than who he is.

Slowly, I drift into a restless sleep, feeling exhausted and lonely. I hadn't realized how accustomed I had grown to sleeping in Kyo's arms on those frigid nights in the woods. Now, without the sound of his strong heartbeat against my cheek, his soft breath fanning across the top of my head, or his hand combing through my hair, I find it too difficult to fully relax.

Sleep does come, though, but it is not alone.

In my nightmare, I see images of terrified faces who scream in terror as a blazing-eyes monster tears through village after village on a rampage to destroy all humanity. I see strong men cut down with one swipe of a blood-blackened sword that glints eerily as it arcs through the air. The sword howls angrily as it seeks its next victim.

I see my brother's face as he, too, is cut down. He is unarmed and defenseless and reaches for me. I cannot get to him no matter how hard I try to claw my way through the carnage to reach him. Suddenly, his face turns dark and angry as he spits at me and calls me a demon's whore. Then, he is dead in a pool of his own blood.

I turn to face the monster, the horrible beast that has destroyed my world. I see Kyo standing on a high cliff with a blood-drenched Tenro raised high above his head. He laughs wickedly and triumphantly. His other arm is snugly wrapped around the waist of a grinning Sakuya. Her laughs join his as they both look down at me scornfully.

"Look, Sakuya. Look at the little whore who thought she could tame the beast inside of me."

Sakuya's laugh peels out again as she turns to Kyo.

"Doesn't she know that I'm the only woman you could ever love. I mean, does she even count as a woman?" Her eyes turn again toward me, taunting and snide. "How could you ever pretend to get aroused by _that_?"

The two share another bout of laughter at my expense before he pulls her to him and kisses her deep and demanding. Forcefully and powerfully.

I can't help the sobs that are wrenched from my heart as I fall helplessly to the ground.

I stare around at the devastation that Kyo has caused, and I wonder why he didn't kill me too. He pulls away long enough to answer my unspoken question.

"I live to destroy, and I know how much it hurts you to feel used. And that is exactly what you let me do to you."

Suddenly, I feel a hard slap to my cheek and jar awake. The sharp pain to my cheek is enough to pull me from my dream, but I blink at my surroundings for a moment, trying to clear my head.

I dawns on me that I was asleep and dreaming, and that I am now looking into the deep scarlet eyes and frowning visage of the monster from my dream. I start to pull away, but the worry that crosses his features is tangible, and I reach up to touch his cheek.

This is the real Kyo.

A sob tears itself from my throat as I throw myself into his arms. I don't care how mad he is at me, nor that he sees my tears as a weakness. I need his strong and constant presence with an urgency I have never felt before.

I clutch tightly to Kyo and cry myself to a dreamless sleep in his lap.

As I am drifting, I feel the light touch of his breath across the top of my head and the soothing caress of his hand as he brushes it down the length of my hair. I sigh my contentment as I fully relax against him, and I hear him whisper something so softly that it could have been my imagination.

"I could never hurt you, my Yuya."


	7. Take Aim

**A/N: I just want to say that you readers are very kind to me. I'm still getting reviews on my first couple of fics which I wrote like a year ago. Anyways, cookies to all who have supported my attempt to stave boredom. Okay, this chapter is super long. It just kind of got away from me. I hope you don't mind that the romance has kind of taken a back seat as they work to get to know one another better. Well, I like this one, and I hope that you will too.**

**I do not own Samurai Deeper Kyo.**

Mind of a Woman, Heart of a Samurai

Take Aim

Waking in the early light of post-dawn has never been one of my favorite past times. Waking on a chill late winter day to the drenching sensation of a bucket of frigid water being dumped on one's head tends make the experience all the more dissatisfying.

Thus I find myself being jolted into the land of the aware after a night of fitful sleep brought on by horrible nightmares. From the amused chuckle my companion is gracing me with, I can tell that my plight does not bother him one bit. So, as I splutter and attempt to wring out my hair, I toss him what I think is a perfectly suitable angry glare. He only laughs harder.

I know I look like a drowned rat, and that makes it even worse. So, I let fly several unladylike curses as I extricate myself from the soggy mess that had been my bed, only slightly wondering at when Kyo had put me to bed after making a complete fool of myself. The vision of what I must have looked like blubbering in his arms because of something so childish as a nightmare is nearly as mortifying as how I must look at this moment chilled to the bone, sopping wet, and blushing in complete embarrassment.

The evil snickers from near my bed are enough to know that Kyo is highly entertained by my predicament. I turn my back on him and pull a fresh kimono and undergarments, as well as a drying cloth, from my belongings, then I step behind the changing screen. Kyo's unstifled laughter follows me, and I find myself grinding my teeth at his callousness.

After wrapping my hair in the towel and donning my clothing, I step from behind the screen in order to rifle through my things again to find my comb. I sit on the low stool in front of the vanity and comb my fingers through my tousled locks in an attempt to pull free some of the knots that I accrued during sleep. I sigh heavily as I realize that combing tangles from my wet hair will take a while.

Absently, I set to combing through the nest of knots, idly humming as I use both finger and comb to bring my hair to rights. At the abrupt pause in Kyo's laughter, I look up at him, and I'm startled by the intensity in those crimson depths. He is watching my hands as they travel their course from root to tip, and the way his eyes follow every movement causes my heart to flutter.

I'm going out on a limb here, but I think I've found Kyo's one vanity. Yeah, he knows he's gorgeous, but he doesn't preen, and he only shows off his body when it pertains to fighting someone. However, when he is close to me, he always has his hands in my hair, or at least he's always touching it. Then, there was the way he reacted when I offered to wash his mop. Perhaps he misses the blood-colored lion's mane that he used to have. I've noticed lately that he keeps his face clean shaven, but that he never lets a blade near his hair which has allowed it to grow to where it now curls along his collar. I had wondered before how practical it was for a samurai to have the long flowing tresses that Kyo had carried. But then, those red locks had been a defining feature for him when he had been continually compared to Kyoshiro.

As if catching on to my train of thought, Kyo's fiery gaze clears as he blinks himself out of his daze. I pull myself from my own and find my voice.

"So, why did you feel the need to wake me at the crack of dawn by soaking me with ice cold water?" I put as much venom into my words as possible, but somehow the anger is lost between my mouth and his ears. Kyo just chuckles a little more.

"Your incessant snoring was keeping me awake." If I didn't know any better to whom I am speaking, that might have sounded a little like amusement in his voice. Not the malicious, 'I'm gonna gut you then laugh at your entrails', kind of amusement. No, this sounded almost genuine and pleasant. I round on him to give him an open-mouth gape before his words register. Then, I merely stare at him as I feel my ears warm with embarrassment. I pull myself together after a full five minutes of awe-filled staring and return to combing my hair with a huff.

Another snicker from the usually angry red-head is my answer.

I take my time alternately drying then combing my hair, and it doesn't take long before I can feel that heated gaze on the back of my head. His brief mirth has come to its end, and now he is becoming impatient with me. With a small grin, I make him wait until I can wring absolutely no more water from the ends of my hair. Then, I make him wait even longer while I run the comb through one last time.

Satisfied, I turn with a thousand watt smile. That immediately wilts upon seeing the hard look in the red irises.

"Ummm....Kyo? What's wrong?"

"I don't enjoy having my time wasted, woman. Now, if you're finished playing, we have business." The malevolent tone has sharpened his voice, and I almost resist his anger. Then, I remember what happened the last time I angered him and how awful I had felt when he would not even acknowledge me. So, I grab my weapon and rush out the door to follow Demon Eyes Kyo on some new errand.

He winds us through the village where he only pauses long enough for me to purchase a small snack to ebb the growing hunger. I will never understand how Kyo can go all day, and even most nights, without eating. If I could have my way, I would eat six huge meals a day. But, then I probably really would be the cow that Kyo often claims me to be.

After walking for what seems like hours, Kyo finally comes to a stop at a sloping field just outside of town. Near the road, there is a fence with what seems like straw dummies lined up along the posts. Kyo walks several paces from the first dummy then turns to watch me expectantly. The intensity of his eyes, once again, has me squirming, and I'm not really sure what he wants me to do.

"Ummm...Kyo, what is this place?"

"Are you really that stupid?" I'm not really sure if this is a statement or question, but it is spoken drolly. His posture is slumped as he uses Tenro's scabbard as a crutch to lean on. "You said it yourself. You need practice, and I would agree with your statement. The last time you pulled your weapon in a battle, you were disarmed as soon as you got off the third shot. You need practice in aiming."

I know his words are true. Aiming has always been my downfall. Even with my pre-made rounds, I still take too long between rounds. The third barrel is tricky at best and takes that much longer to fill then sight. Still, Kyo's matter-of-fact tone, and the obvious fact that he knows my dynamic with my own weapon has me flushing from both embarrassment and shame. Nothing like a swordsman telling a marksman how to do her job.

My eyes shift from gawking at my companion to critiquing the dummies. There are four of them, staged at different intervals for both close- and long-ranged shooting. This must have taken some time, which awes me even more. I pull my revolver from its place at my back, that familiar itching taking over my fingertips. I may not be a very good shot, but firing my weapon has always brought me the utmost high.

I look back at Kyo, and his look is one of knowing as he nods toward the makeshift firing range.

"You can practice shooting for about an hour, then we'll move on." I round on him once more, vaguely thinking that my fish-mouthed look must be getting pretty preposterous by now.

"What do you mean, 'we'll move on'?"

"Your weapon is best suited for long-ranged fighting, and can be used up close if necessary. However, you need to learn basic hand-to-hand skills." His fingers come to rest under his chin in a thoughtful expression. "Perhaps you could even learn to wield some sort of blade." By this point, he has that look that means that he has lost all focus on me and is thinking more about weaponry and fighting. The look is fleeting, though, as he fixes me with another hard stare. "But first, you need to learn how to actually use your weapon of choice."

Anger colors my cheeks this time.

"You're a swordsman. What do you possibly know about firearms?" I had almost felt a twinge of excitement at the fact that Kyo had taken such an interest in arming me against my enemies. However, his smugness at my lack of finesse in my chosen field irks me. Before I ever met Mibu Kyoshiro and his alter ego, I'd had little trouble earning marks on bounties. It seems that I only became completely incapable after getting involved with the Mibu clan.

I am very close to stating my opinion when I feel the rush of the air that is disturbed by Kyo's sudden movement. Instantly, he is behind me gripping the arm that holds my gun. His voice is a taut whisper.

"The last time you drew this, you were so scared that you could barely aim it." A pause brings relief to the tightness in his voice as well as in my chest, but his words remain breathy in my ear. "I can't do anything about the fear, but I can make sure that you can defend yourself."

And then, the pressure of his body against mine is gone. I turn to find his resting stoicly against his sword, once again. I shake my head, thinking that perhaps I have gone just a little crazy.

"That, and I can't always be there to rescue your ass since you seem so hell bent on finding trouble wherever you go." The lightly teasing tone has a small hard edge to it, which makes me slant a sideways look at the man. Before I have the chance to respond, he has moved to lean against a tall tree that stand between the fence and the dirt road. Kyo merely rests his shoulders on the trunk with his arms crossed and one foot pressed against the bark. He holds Tenro loosely in one hand while feigning relaxation.

I take several deep calming breaths. It has been a while since I've shot at anything that wasn't a mark or an enemy, and it's been a few weeks even for that. And, if I'm honest with myself, I know that I've never been really that great of a shot anyways. Whether it be a result of my crash course in weapons handling or my own instability in a crisis situation is yet to be seen. All that had ever mattered before, was that I could hit close enough to the mark to render my prey unconscious long enough to collect my bounty. I had just always thought that I would get better with time.

I take a few shaky steps toward the targets and size them up. They are not anything special, just bales of straw placed here and there with bull's-eyes painted on their sides. But they are positioned so that I can get the maximum effective long-range and short-range shots.

"How long did this take?" The question is spoken before I even realize it, and I find myself biting my lip in anticipation to his answer. When he does not answer, I turn to eye him over my shoulder. Without opening his eyes, Kyo sweeps the hand holding his sword out to point toward the targets.

"Does it really matter, especially since you know you need the practice?" The fact that he eludes my question narrows my gaze, but I know that he will not respond no matter what I do to push him. I may learn someday to take Kyo's small gifts without arguing.

I turn back to my targets and tilt my head to one side, then the other, cracking my neck. Next, I roll my shoulders, loosening the muscles. I stand for another several minutes with my eyes closed listening to the chill breeze around me, as well as the sounds of the town as it begins to awaken. Kyo's breathing is a steady rhythm in the back of my mind.

Loading my weapon has become less difficult for me since I've figured out how to pack ball and powder into a combustible bundle that desintigrates as soon as the hammer drops. All I have to do is just drop the 'bullets' into the chamber and then fire away. This method takes precious seconds off of my reload time.

My problem, though is aiming and wielding the weapon, which go hand in hand. Though, the gun is small, it is rather heavy, and I have trouble holding the thing at arm's length for any period of time. Thus, I cannot hold the weapon steady enough to effectively aim for an appropriate shot. My hands are not steady enough to support the bulk of the gun, which causes me to take longer to aim adequately, which gets me into a lot of trouble when in a fight with someone wielding a sword.

I raise my revolver to eye level, straining my muscles to keep still so that I can aim. I sight down the top-most barrel, then pull the trigger.

I can't bring myself to look at the target to see if I hit my mark.

Instead, I turn to the next dummy and pull the trigger again. Then, I fire a third time.

In the zone, I don't even pause when my last round if spent. I whip the chamber open with one hand while pulling three more rounds out of the pouch that is concealed in the back of my obi. Within in seconds, my weapon is reloaded, and I am firing again.

I go through the motions three more times before I am completely spent.

By the time I am finished, my arms are heavy with fatigue, and I know without Kyo telling me that my timing was off on the last few shots as my limbs weakened.

He walks up to stand at my shoulder as I work to catch my breath. I hold my gun in a shaky hand hanging at my side, as I reach the other hand to swipe sweat from my brow. Kyo does not speak, he only hands me a canteen with cool water in it. I wonder, as I take a sip, where he had gotten the water, but don't voice my question as I'm just glad that he thought to bring it.

While drinking the brisk liquid, I take stock in my practice run. The first few shots were off the mark only by inches, but as they progress, one could tell when my arms began to tire. My aim had begun to fall more to the outer edges of the targets, while being scattered both high and low.

I cap the canteen and lower my arm to let it dangle to the side opposite of my weapon. I've really allowed myself to grow idle in my craft, and it both irritates and depresses me. It doesn't help either that Kyo has yet to speak, and I know that he must be forming some snide remark to my uselessness. When he does stir as if to speak, I feel my body tense in reaction. I wait for his words as if waiting for a slap to the face.

He disappoints me again by tilting his head to the side and crossing his arms over his chest. Tenro still hangs loosely from his hand.

"It looks to me like we need to build up your stamina."

And then he turns and walks back toward the village.

I turn in his direction, mouth agape and brows creased wondering for the one hundredth time this morning if I've lost my mind completely.

"Let's go get something to eat before we continue with your training."

I can feel the twitch begin in my eye as my blood pressure sky rockets. I don't know if I'm angry or relieved by his actions. He has obviously decided to help me strengthen myself, but to what extent? This is Demons Eyes Kyo, who can fight with gaping holes in his chest, all the while taunting his enemies with sniping remarks about how weak they are.

There is no way that I can survive training with Kyo.


	8. Gonna Wash Him Right Outta My Hair

**A/N: Hey all. Sorry it's taken so long to update, but my real life has been kicking my ass lately. Speaking of ass kickings, this chapter completely whooped me. I had enough trouble even getting on the computer, let alone writing, and then there was the serious writer's block. Anyways, hope you all enjoy, and I'll try not to make you wait so long. BTW, a read reviewed brought up some very valid points on the fact that Yuya started out as such a strong character and then wussed out later on. I'm trying to get her back into the 'I'm an ass-kicking-bounty-huntress-who-don't-need-no-stinking-man' mind set. I thinks it's working too.**

**I do not own these characters, but I do own the fun in the hotel bath.**

Mind of Woman, Heart of a Samurai

Gonna Wash Him Right Outta My Hair

I would never have considered Kyo the tolerant type. Since the very moment I met him, he's been arrogant, cocky, sneering, and down right disdainful. Of course there have been his seemingly human moments. Like the few times he's touched me with gentle hands or when he fought with all of his, and Kyoshiro's, strength to rescue Lady Sakuya from Lord Nobunaga.

Granted, those moments are few and far between. But, they are there.

Let's just say that in the past few weeks, I have seen a whole new side to Mibu Kyo.

No, he hasn't been romantic or even affectionate. He hasn't really even been all that friendly, but he has been tolerant.

Every morning over the past four or so weeks, Kyo has woke me at the crack of dawn with what he sees as ingenious attempts at 'hardening' me. First, he dumped a bucket of cold water on me... while I was still in bed. Another time, he picked me up, covers and all, and carried me to our training grounds...where he unceremoniously dumped me, covers and all, onto the thawing, muddy ground. The worst was when he woke me ever-so-softly by whispering his endearment for me in my ear and gently shaking my arm. My eyes fluttered open and I was met with the sincere gaze of the freshly caught fish that should have been our breakfast. My wailing screech was only outdone by the resounding slap that Kyo received after groping me when I accidentally toppled into his lap while trying to flee the fish-eyed monster.

Let's just say that my days have not been starting off so well. Not for me anyway. Kyo starts the days off with a chuckle at my expense.

However, once we reach the training grounds and my abuse begins, all previous antics are forgotten and Kyo is all business. In the few weeks since we began, I have found that my reload time is being cut shorter by mere seconds, and that my aim is only getting better. My firing arm still aches by the end of my rounds, but I have little time to reflect on that as we rest while taking a short lunch. I take these moments of idleness to take in Kyo's appearance.

His hair is getting longer and shaggier by the day, and I wonder each day if he'll let me trim it for him. It doesn't seem to trouble him while he is fighting, so it may not even be worth it to ask. The dark red hue only deepens as the days go by, and some days it almost looks black. His hair truly is beautiful, and I hope that I am around long enough to see it long and luxurious.

I've heard stories about how magnificent looking he was in battle. His crimson and white armor surrounded by the eruption of scarlet tresses that licked about like so many flames. And then there were the eyes. Those were, and still are, the stuff of legends. They glowed with a preternatural spark that struck terror into the hearts of all who laid eyes on him. He truly must have been a sight to behold.

Staying in place, though we are not completely idle, is doing him good. Where he will always be lean and sinewy, eating three meals a day is filling him out and accentuating his height and broad shoulders. He has yet to become bulky or fat, instead he has a much healthier look.

I sit today, twirling a strand of my own hair around a finger, watching Kyo as he rests against one of the trees that surrounds our training field. We are coming to the end of our lunch break, and I am mentally preparing myself for the ass-kicking that I am about to receive.

Kyo is a patient teacher. He stands quietly along the side-lines as I work through my sharp-shooting practice, then he spends the afternoons engaging me in hand-to -hand combat techniques. I am not very strong, and it often takes me several days to understand a move fully. But, his help has built up my stamina so that I no longer have trouble holding my weapon at arm's length in either hand.

I hear my teacher shift his weight as he stands from his place beneath the barren tree. It will be spring soon, and one can see the green beginning to find its way to the surface. I feel much like that in the fact that my true abilities are resurfacing. I am beginning to feel like I did when I started out on my own as a bounty hunter. Some nights, I lie awake wondering what could have caused me to weaken to the point that I have to depend on Kyo so heavily. I wonder if it is all of the near death experiences that I've had since meeting the demon eyed samurai. Or is just that I've become comfortable with having someone there who will fight for me?

Kyo moves into the clear place just beyond the fence that I use for target practice. The dry and crinkled remnants of last year's grass sound beneath his feet. He says nothing as he turns and stands looking at me expectantly.

I sigh, knowing that the time has come for him to, once again, mop the floor with me. I stand and move slowly into our battle ring. I face Kyo, ten steps from him, and bow. My fighting stance is simple: body turned slightly to the side, one hand up to block any of his attacks, one hand balled into a fist ready to charge him. We watch one another for what feels like hours.

Then, I attack.

Kyo has slowed his movements for my benefit, but I still have difficulty following his moves. My goal is to strike him in the face in any way that I can. I attack steadily with punch after punch aimed at that smart-assed half grin. Kyo is so out of my league that he barely even has to move to dodge every move that I have, and those that he can't dodge, he deflects easily using Tenro's scabbard.

Finally, after what seems like hours, Kyo has mercy on me and calls a halt to our sparring. I am breathing too heavily to vocalize my routine prayer of thanks to the gods. Kyo hands me our waterskin, and I drink lustily before he has to physically pry the thing away from me.

"You're going to make yourself sick, idiot," is all that he says as he pulls the skin from my hands while turning to head for our hotel.

I take a moment to catch breath my thinking of the bliss that awaits my aching muscles in the form of the hotel's bath. I don't notice the tree root jutting out of the ground that I must have stepped over a hundred times subconsciously. My shoe gets stuck, and I am suddenly flying toward a horrendous face-plant. I close my eyes and try to get my arms out to brace for impact.

An impact that doesn't come.

I open my tightly scrunched eyes and look around me in a half daze. Lean, hard arms are holding me close, and beyond those all I can see is black kimono. I gulp as the gravity of what I've just forced sends me reeling. My eyes dart to where I just know Kyo is watching me closely.

I am met with a forehead that is marred with the crease of a deep frown. But his eyes are not lit up with their usual animosity.

"You _have got_ to be more careful, idiot." No malice or spite is evident in his voice as those blazing crimson irises rove my face as if searching for any possible injury.

"Kyo, I..." He is still holding me close, and I can't help feeling the longing that I've managed to cover with anger and physical exertion for the better part of a month. I lean closer, looking for a reason not to kiss him, hoping that he won't deny me. Just before my lips contact his, he pulls back enough to press his forehead against mine.

My hero takes a deep breath as he closes his eyes. The release of his breath gusts across my features and warms my whole body. When his eyes open again, they are so dark they look black. Fathomless.

Now Kyo is shaking, and the animosity is flaring back into his eyes.

"I told you I would not touch you until you want it, but I will not allow you to toy with me."

And with that, he drops me flat on my ass as he turns and stalks away.

I take the long way back to our room, as I do not particularly wish to face the beast that I have created. Angry Kyo, I can handle. Pensive, lonely, even sick. I understand those moods. Upset and hurt Kyo are completely different entities, and I have no knowledge of them whatsoever.

Upon entering the room, it takes one sweeping glance to realize that I am alone. I let out a shuddering sigh of relief then lean my back against the shoji door. I can't help banging my head smartly against the screen. I really am an idiot. Kyo and I had come to truce, an accord of how we are to treat one another. We had begun to build a solid foundation of respect and, dare I say, trust. And now, he thinks that I have been toying with him.

How on earth did I let my emotions get the better of me? _I _am the one who was stupid enough to fall in love with a man with no heart. Then I was stupid enough to think that he could possibly have feelings for me. Upon realizing that he would never openly express his emotions, I had tried to force him into displaying how he felt. And, in doing so, _I_ had succeeded in making _him_ feel used.

How am I going to get myself out of this? What can I do to get Kyoto realize that I need more than physical love without forcing him to compromise his personality?

I stand with my back to the door, banging my head lightly off of it, trying to wrack my brain and formulate some sort of remedy to our situation. I only succeed in giving myself a monstrous headache. Realizing that now I have an aching brain on top of my aching muscles, I resign myself to wandering across the room the where I stash my things. I rummage around and find what I need for a bath. Perhaps the steam of a hot soak will help clear my head.

Even though it is the middle of the afternoon, and I do not have my bodyguard with me, I have the bath all to myself. I suspect that Kyo's reputation has preceded me, and even devoid his presence, I will be left in peace. I take the time to luxuriate in the scents of my soap as I sit beside the pool and lather my body. The shampoo sold in this hotel has become my favorite with its lovely blend of sakura petals and green tea leaves. I comb the soap through the blond tresses that have grown to the small of my back. I will need to trim it soon, and I vaguely wonder what I would look like with short hair.

"Don't even think it."

I open my eyes slowly as I know that voice even in my dreams. Kyo is standing just inside of the door to the bathing room, watching me closely. I hum softly as I finish lathering the tips of my hair. I attempt to smile coyly.

"Think what?" I ask all innocence. I had known that Kyo would not be gone from my side for long, and it just figures that he would seek me out while I am naked.

"You're thinking about cutting you hair." I can hear the air of contempt in his voice, and I open my eyes to look at him fully.

"No, I was only thinking of what I would look like with it short."

Kyo steps closer to me, snagging an upturned bucket from the floor as he moves into my space.

"You would look even more like the dog that you are." The words roll out like a lover's caress, but the silky voice is ruined by the angry sneer. I take the bucket from his hand and dip it into the pool before unceremoniously dumping the warm water over my head.

Once I have removed the water and soap from my eyes, I reach behind me to twist my hair into a tail in order to wring the excess water from its length. I don't look at Kyo because I can't take his mocking expression right now.

"Yes, yes, I know I'm ugly." I stand from my place next to the pool, presumably unashamed of my nudity in front of my one-time lover. I know the heat flooding throughout my limbs speaks other wise. I splash into the pool and wade to the point furthest way from where Kyo had been standing.

Once I plunk myself down in order to fully rinse the soap from my body and soak my aches away, I feel his presence behind me. Anticipating my actions, Kyo had moved with me to the other side of the pool. I sense him get nearer and can't help the startled jerk when his hand lands atop of my head.

He merely strokes my hair from crown to where it meets the water and back up for several long moments. Kyo does not speak nor try to grope my body; he only kneels in silence petting me. I finally cannot stand the pressure and turn with questioning eyes. Kyo starts to back away, but I grab his hand before he can get too far.

I hold his hand in both of mine for a long tense moment before redirecting my gaze to his. The fire is back as he watches me intently, but there is restraint there. I understand his unspoken sentiment. Ever since our first intimate night, Kyo has always tried to comfort me by petting my hair or running his hands through it. I begin to think that perhaps, not only is his hair his one vanity, but maybe someone had done the same for him in his past as a soothing gesture.

I dare to speak softly, just loud enough that I know Kyo will hear me.

"Would you like for me to wash your hair for you, Kyo?" I hope he understands that this is meant to be a peace offering.

He looks down at me, and the fierceness begins to creep its way back in. I watch him, trying to keep my fear of his rejection at bay. If he accepts my touch again, then perhaps we can begin down the road of reestablishing our tenuous relationship.

Kyo watches me for a long while, and I look away thinking that he is still wary of me. I release his hand and pull away in order to sit with my back to him once again.

The rustle of clothing behind me startles me out of my gloomy thoughts of never being able to make up with the man that I love most in the world. I glance up and am pleasantly shocked to see that gloriously nude body stroll around edge of the pool before carefully lowering himself into the warm water. After a few seconds of acclimatizing, Kyo makes his way toward me with my container of hair soap in hand.

After handing me the bottle, he lowers himself into the water to fully wet his mass of hair. When he emerges, Kyo wrinkles his nose ever so slightly upon catching a whiff of the cherry blossom and tea leaf scent.

"Not too much, I don't want to smell like a girl."

I can't help the snorted giggle as I apply the soap to his scalp.


	9. Dog's Night

**A/N: Ugh. I would like to start off with apologizing about the all out crappiness of the previous chapter. I went back and read it and realize how much it does suck. However, I just don't have the mindset to go back and change it. So, on that note, I think this is actually winding down in my mind. Only a few more chapters at most. So beware. Anyways, I think there is a lot of insight into both of our characters here, and I hope it makes a little sense. See you on the other side.**

**Warning: Nudity, and steamy bath scene.**

**I do not own them.**

Mind of a Woman, Heart of a Samurai

Dog's Night

When around Mibu Kyo, I've always known to move with a sort of resigned wariness. Kyo is like a large predatory animal, in that one must move slowly and deliberately when in his presence. One false move or one too-quick gesture, and he would rip out your throat.

Tonight, I am even more conscious of my movements. Not only am I dealing with Kyo, but I am dealing with a Kyo who seems at ease and almost generous with his personal space. Not exactly what I'm used to when it comes to my red-haired demon.I am so nervous that I have a difficult time scooping the necessary soap from its container into my hands. My fingers seem to have a mind of their own, and my whole body is tense and shaking.

The intimacy of what we are doing is astounding, and I can see the very steam of the bath rising to surround us as if in a hazy dream. The combination of nerves and heat cause sweat to bead on my upper lip, and I take a deep breath in order to quell my anxiety. I have been in more compromising positions with this man. Though, I am using this moment as a means to reestablish a connection with him, there is nothing sensual nor seductive going on.

Yeah, right.

Kyo sits in front of me, his back turned toward me, and he has his head tilted back slightly awaiting my ministrations. I swallow to loosen the tightness of my throat that has developed due to the picture that Kyo makes. He, no doubt, is still completely aware of our surroundings and is calculating different scenarios for escape were we to be attacked, but on the outside, he is the picture of serenity. Eyes closed and body relaxed, he looks almost...comfortable.

I lean forward, considering that even sitting down he towers over me, so that I may work the soap into his damp hair. Wet, the ends reach below his shoulders, and I remember a flicker of how glorious those fire colored tresses are when cascading down his back. I take another deep breath and sink my fingers down into his scalp. His eyes flash open for the briefest of seconds as his body tenses then relaxes in the same instant.

I am reminded that this is a big step for Kyo. He is expressing his trust in me by allowing me liberties with his body that he allows no one. Never is anyone allowed to stand so close to his back, nor are they allowed to touch him when his eyes are closed. My constantly wandering mind reflects back onto the fact that I am definitely not the first woman to be a part of Kyo's life, and I will probably not be the last. I wonder how many he had allowed to touch him like this. On cue, as if hearing my thoughts, Kyo answers me.

"None." One word, barely audible. I probably would not have heard it, but for the feel of his voice rumbling through his back where, unknowingly, I had pressed my breasts against his skin. Startled by the vibration and the answer, I pull away.

"How, I mean, what...?" Flustered, I stammer trying to catch my wits which are scattered across the room. I had been so encompassed in my own thoughts, that I had forgotten about his constant awareness. Kyo's head turns only far enough to the side to eye me over his shoulder. The look is one of appraisal, and not one that I am at all used to.

"I know you, woman. I know your thoughts, and the answer is none. I've never let any woman this close to me." He turns his face away from me and answers my next question before I can even dare open my mouth. "Not even Sakuya."

And with that one sentence, the haze in the bath is lifted, and I am jarred with the cool breeze that suddenly fills the room. Kyo dunks himself under the water to rinse his hair before shifting away. He does not even look at me before pulling his kimono on, scooping up Tenro from its place on the floor, and walking out of the room.

I am left trembling in the heat of the bath. What Kyo has just told me must be a revelation for him as well. He trusts me even more that the one woman who he dared loved openly. The woman who had ripped his heart out and fed it to him when she chose his progenitor and rival. Kyoshiro had taken so much more than he had known when he pulled Kyo from his body.

I want nothing more than to go to him and tell him that I love him, and that I would never hurt him the way that she had. I want to tell him that it is okay to love again, despite what might happen. But, I know that I can't. Like the giant predator, when Kyo feels confused and threatened, he will lash out. He will even lash out at those who care for and feed him. No, I must let Kyo have his time alone.

So, I take my own time finishing my bath, and when I am finished I clean the mess that we have made of the bathing room. Before, I leave the steamy little room, I look back at the pool and wonder how much the inn-keeper will charge me for contaminating the pool with so much soap. I sigh and swipe a wet strand of hair from my forehead. I'll have to head out tomorrow in search of a bounty in order to make a little extra money, if we're going to want a room to stay in after tonight.

I make my way down the corridor toward our room, mind whirling with thoughts. I have to come up with a way to get Kyo to allow me out of his sight long enough to seek out a bounty. It still galls me that, while he is angry with me over my words about his treatment of my person, he still keeps me well within range. I don't know if he's just being a possessive bastard, or if he truly fears for my safety. Then, there is the fact that he does trust me, but he also seems put off by that fact. Either I'm just too weak to have at his back, or her does really find me repugnant.

I pause in the hallway, just outside of our room. The cool air of the still chilly nights that come just before spring has settled into the building and is chasing away the warmth of my bath. I shiver as I come to a revelation of my own. Why am I allowing Kyo to toy with my mind so? I know what he is and what he expects of me. I am even well aware of how he feels about me, which is what is causing him so much turmoil. But, why am I letting his uncertainty affect me to such a degree?

I have been relearning what it means to take care of myself. I can fire my weapon so rapidly now that it surprises even me. Not only that, but I can also fight both with hands or blade. I have my own thoughts and my own agenda, and I need no one to tell me what to do or how to live. I don't need Kyo's permission to hunt a bounty, nor do I need him to keep watch over me as if I were a sad little girl who needs defending.

Kyo needs to be put in his place, and I need to do it right now. I pull myself up to full height and clench my fists as I step in front of our room with every intention of storming in there and telling Demon Eyes Kyo just what I think about his attitude. And, just as I'm about to reach up and slide the shoji to the side, I stop.

I'm kidding myself if I think that I can say such things to Kyo. I absolutely loathe the way he acts toward me, and I am not a child who needs to be protected. But, Kyo has been treated harshly his entire life, and that is all he knows. He is the Slayer of a Thousand Men. He fears nothing. Nothing, except the love of a woman.

My shoulders slump as I let out a frustrated breath. I am hotheaded and mouthy, but I am also realistic. Kyo protects me because he cares. He says terrible things to me and pushes me away because he cares. And, he sees that as a weakness. The gods know that his enemies have used my welfare against him often enough. No, I can't confront him like this, and most certainly not tonight.

I slide the door open and step in, wary of the fact that I cannot feel Kyo's aura. Even when he is not in battle mode, I can usually still feel the weight of his fighting spirit. I can't feel him now, which means that he is not in the room. I am startled but feel a wash of relief come over me. I do not have to face him tonight. I do not have to face my own frustration and anger, nor do I have face his anxiety and confusion.

I place my clothing to the side so that I will find it in the morning when I go down to the stream in order to wash our clothes. Then I pull the bedclothes back and burrow beneath the blankets. Perhaps I can get a small amount of sleep before Kyo returns. It seems like hours before I finally stop the images of the past evening from spiraling through my mind and am able to lose consciousness.

When I wake, it is to an insistent shaking of my shoulder. I groan and throw my arm over my face, wishing that Kyo would just once give me a day of rest. I am just about to speak that exact thought when I roll to my side and open my eyes. Dark crimson burns into me, and I pull back blinking to clear the haze of dreams from my mind.

"Kyo?"

He shushes me, then tilts his head up to look toward the low window that opens into the hotel's courtyard. I try to twist enough to see what he is looking at, but I am stilled by the weight of his forearm across my waist. I look up, alarmed, and take in his harried appearance. His hair is heavily tousled, and he reeks of just a little more than his evening ration of sake. I squeak indignantly at the thought of him copping a drunken feel while I was sleeping and begin to extract myself from his hold.

He shifts his body to where more of it covers mine and keeps me locked in place. He shushes me again as I try to pout my way out of his grasp.

"We have unwanted company." His breath is a whisper against my ear and carries the scent of very high grade liquor. I am slightly awed at how the smell makes me lightheaded while Kyo doesn't even seem to slur his words. Pressed against my body so thoroughly, I can feel the thrill of a fight thrumming through him. He doesn't even seem to be affected by his booze intake.

I look back up to the general area of his head to see him slant his eyes back down to me. He watches me for a second before nodding and releasing his hold on me. He stands and opens the shoji to address whoever it is in the courtyard. The woman there speaks first.

"Ah, Demon Eyes Kyo, I think you cheated in our game." The voice is wickedly sinful as it purs its ways across the window sill. I struggle to stand just to get a good look at whoever could sound so seductive and cold at the same time. "Oh, I see that I've interrupted. Seriously, this is what you walked away from me for. I've heard of pity fucks, but come on."

She is the most devastatingly beautiful woman I have ever met. Her long, glossy black hair falls to the backs of her knees, and her skin is almost transparent in the moonlight. She is tall, nearly as tall as Kyo, and is dressed in the fashion of a high dollar geisha. Her kimono barely makes it to her thighs, and the sleeves dangle to the ground, even with her hands planted firmly on her hips. Her lips are dark and luscious, and her eyes gleam with an unnatural luster. She carries a short sword slung across the back of her waist, the scabbard running from her left hip to bump at the back of her right knee. I almost wonder why Kyo _had_ left her side to come back to me.

Until I realize that it was _me _that she is insulting.

I can feel the heat blistering my cheeks from both anger and embarrassment. I can't believe that a woman would talk like that, let alone about me. My fists clench at my sides as I fight the scalding tears that gather at the corners of my eyes.

"Oh, poo, I think I made your little dog cry. Well, nothing a good kick won't cure." Then she turns her attention back to Kyo as if I were no longer there. "I want what you cheated out of me."

Kyo just watches her coolly without even batting an eye. It's as if he does not care about the way she spoke to me. Well, he may not care, but I've had enough of people referring to me as a mongrel. I may not be beautiful, but a girl works with what she's given.

I take a step forward, seething anger gripping all thought. I have no idea what I'm going to say or do to this woman, but I know I want to make her pay for her words. Kyo stops me with a sentence.

"Woman, stop." The words are ground out, and I look back at him horrified at his tone. He is angry, but I couldn't have possibly done anything to anger him so badly. My gaze lingers as he scorches me with his. From across the yard, I hear the tinkling of melodic laughter.

"Ah, she even answers to commands like a dog." Her smile turns even more wicked. "Good she knows what she is, as she is about to like one."

That's when I feel Kyo's rage roll over me in the form of a black cloud. It wasn't me that he had been angry with, after all. I look back over my shoulder to see the visage of someone that I have not seen since our final fight with Nobunaga. I am met with the blazing eyes of the true Demon Eyes Kyo. The man who does not discriminate when he kills, and I actually begin to fear for my life.

He takes the short step that separates us and lowers that burning look toward me. I feel his hand caress my hair just along my right shoulder.

"Don't worry. This isn't for you." He looks at the other woman who watches us smugly from well into the courtyard.

"This is all hers."

Then, he steps across the window sill toward his next victim.

**Ha, ha, thought there was gonna be a lemon in there didn't you. Yeah, ne too, but I guess it just wan't time. Pretty soon, though.**


	10. Giving In

**A/N: Hullo, did you guys miss me? Well, I'm back with the last installment. Yup, this is it for this fic. I hope you guys like it.**

**Samurai Deeper Kyo is not mine.**

Mind of a Woman, Heart of a Samurai

Giving In

Every time that I've ever watched Kyo fight, I've done so with bated breath. Deep down, I always know that Kyo will be the victor, and that we will end the day bickering over how stupid he was for showing off while I tend to his wounds. Tonight, however, feels different. As Kyo faces off with this particular enemy, I feel an odd charge in the air as if something may go wrong at any moment.

I find myself inhaling deeply, fearing to breathe as I watch my hero defend my honor. Yet again.

My fingers tighten around the shortsword that I don't remember retreiving from beside the futon. When had I reached for the weapon? Why not my gun?

The horribly crass woman who has Kyo in her sights is terribly beautiful to behold. Her dark hair gleams and her pale skin is translucent in the moon's light. The mocking sneer mars her beauty for only a moment as she reschools her expression into a sultry smile. I wonder how any man, especially the lecherous Demon Eyes Kyo, can deny her.

"Well, it's such a pity that things have to turn out this way, Kyo-kun." I cringe at her familiarity with my lover, but the reflex is halted by my gasp at her sudden change in appearance. The sneer has returned, and her look is almost as demonic as Kyo's. "I can't allow you to live, now that I know that you prefer that srawny thing over me. It's just wrong. The world will be much better without someone with such poor taste."

She draws her sword and brandishes it my direction. "Kyo, I'll kill you swiftly, as a mercy, but her," she points the tip of the sword at my face, "I will take my time with. I will torture her for the insult of breathing the same air as me, as well as for somehow fooling you into loving her."

I cringe again and feel my face heat up at her words. How could she possibly think Kyo loves me just becuase he doesn't want a gaudy piece of trash like her? My eyes flicker toward Kyo, and they widen sharply.

Kyo's face is dark with a condiserable frown as he considers this woman and her words. His red eyes burn with a hatred that I haven't seen there for quite some time. Had her words affected him that much? Did he really hate me so badly that her words had caused such insult?

I feel my pulse quicken as I watch the two fighters stalk one another around the courtyard. They take slow deliberate steps, sizing one another up. I watch Kyo closely as he watches his foe, and I realize that he does not take this one seriously, either. He moves with the creeping wariness of a lethal cat, but I can see that his body is fluid, not at all on alert or rigid. He does not think her a true threat. So, why fight her at all? Surely the tauntings of a woman aren't enough to ruffle the feathers of the Thousand Man Killer.

I slide my gaze to the woman, and am unamazingly stunned my her beauty once again. She would be the portrait of perfection but for the everpresent sneer corrupting her features. I follow her movements with my eyes as she moves slowly closer to Kyo. She has the confident gait of a seasoned killer, and I think that Kyo just may be underestimating her.

I close my eyes as they move closer, all pretense of reading one another finished. They mean to continue with this battle, a fight of the cause of which I'm still not completely certain. I can feel the tension in the air. The woman's aura is strong, but not near Kyo's. His is heavy, but does not weigh me down like usual. And then, I feel the presence of another aura mixing into those of the fighters. It is lighter, not melevolent at all, but fierce.

I open my eyes as I know that their blades are about to come together and clench my teeth in preparation of the grating sound.

I don't even feel my body move. It's as if I were still standing on the sidelines. Suddenly, I find myself between the two fighters, sword raise in effort to fend off the other woman's blow. The sharp scrape of our weapons as they come together startles me out of my daze. I blink up into the woman's face but rally enough strength to keep her incapacitated for a moment.

"Woman, what are you doing." The aggitation is focused directly at me, and I know that his eyes are burning a hole into the back of my head.

"It's my turn, Kyo." I turn my face just enough to see him with one eye. "Let me show you how strong I am."

I turn all of my attention on the woman who is bearing down on me with phenominal power. I can feel the intenisty of Kyo's gaze for only a second longer, then his crushing aura moves to the edge of our arena.

"Hmph. Who'd have thought that the great Mibu Kyo would be cowed by a mere dog." The woman's dark eyes shine with fury as I have stolen her prey from her grasp.

"I. Am. Not. A. Dog." Each syllable bolsters my strength, and with the last word, I am able to break apart from my foe. She immediately comes at me with a flurry of hard slashes that I easily parry or outright dodge. She follows her slashes with a lunge that is too full of anger, and she overcompensates. I get in a swipe along her side as her momentum carries her past me.

I turn and watch as my enemy rights herself, using her free hand to apply pressure to her wound. The gash is ugly but not life threatening. Damn.

The beautiful woman sculpts her expression into that angry sneer before she comes at me again. Inside, I want nothing more than to drop my sword and flee like a screaming little girl. But, I know that Kyo is out there watching me, and I will not let him down. I take a deep breath to calm my nerves and reach back into what I have learned over the past few weeks.

I keep a calculating eye on the woman as she tears her way across the courtyard in my direction. She is wild and beligerent. No more is the cool and collected foe that had wanted Kyo's blood. This is a woman who feels that she has been wronged in some way by my very existence. Her vanity is her weakness, and I just may have to use it against her.

Again, she lunges toward me. This time, she has timed her attack better, and her sword grazes my arm before I am able to fully pull out of the way. The cut is not deep, but it does burn. I glance up at my surroundings and see the pinpricks of crimson irises watching from a dark corner. He is still here, and he seems to have corralled all of the woman's men into a heap just inside the yard. I wonder if he's killed them.

When I bring my gaze back to my fight, I can see that my foe is winded, and that she is in severe pain from the wound on her side. It is time to end this battle. I do not have the savvy that Kyo does when it comes to prolonging a fight, nor do I want it. I just want to finish this and then go to bed.

The woman is dauntless. She comes at me again, but this time, I step into her attack, and I am able to flick her sword from her hand with a turn of my wrist. Using my own momentum, I am able to flip her up over my shoulder and onto her back. She is winded badly and cannot catch her breath fast enough to scramble to her feet.

I loom over her, well probably not, as I am too small to loom, but I try to all the same. I focus my attention on her face, that is still quite lovely given her exertion and the amount of grime she has collected. I nonchalantly lay the edge of my sword across her face.

"With just a small movement, I could make you ugly." Her eyes widen in fear, and I can see her body tremble as she realizes just what is at stake.

"No, not my face, please."

"Leave this place now." I turn away from her and make my way through the window, into the safety of my room.

The room is dark, and even though the moon illuminates the room, I know that no one can see me as I begin my own trembling. I toss the sword into a corner, disgusted at having had to use it. Anger boils under my skin. Anger at joinning a fight that hadn't been mine, anger at how I had won. I despise being used as a tool against Kyo, yet I had used that woman's one weakness against her.

Is that who I really am?

I sit against the wall of my room for an eternity, just shaking with a blank mind. I cannot bear to think about what I've done. Kyo would say that I showed my own weakness by allowing her to live. But I don't know if that is true. She hadn't really been after my life, so there was no point in killing her. My nerves are still tense, and I continue to shake.

"You shouldn't have interfered."

I had known he would come back eventually. As I know that he is eyeing me, taking stock of my condition, and judging me harshly. I do not look at him, nor do I answer him as I continue to try to pull myself together. He moves close to me, regarding me closely.

"It's the thrill of battle that's coursing through your body. It'll keep going for some time, and then will leave you quickly. You'll suddenly feel exhausted and will need sleep." He grips my chin and directs my focus to him. "But, for now, let me look at your arm."

It's quite an odd change for us. I am the wounded warrior as Kyo plays nursemaid to my wounds. It is quite surreal. He must be drawing from Kyoshiro's medical prowess as he cleanses the cut on my arm then bandages it. His touch is uncommonly light and gentle, and I cannot help but to watch his face as he tends to me. The anger is no longer there, only a concentrated frown.

I reach up with my free hand and try to smooth the frown from his forehead. Instead, the frown deepens as he looks up at me.

"The battle is still in your body, it will pass."

I understand what he means. The rush of excitement that I felt when fighting for my life is still there, but that is not all that I'm feeling right now. It is moments like this, moments when Kyo is gentle without realizing it that gives me a true thrill.

He stands to repack the medical supplies. I stand with him. When I grip his kimono tightly, so that he cannot turn away from me, his whole body tenses. His wary gaze narrows and he watches my face closely for just a moment. I hesitate too long, and he tries to pull away from me once again. This time I do not hesitate.

I kiss him.

I grip the front of his kimono tightly and pull him bodily to my level as I stand on tiptoe to meet him.

I kiss him with every intense emotion that I've had for the past month.

For just an instant I think that he will not join me, but then he kisses back. His mouth is hot on mine, and he exudes the pent up emotions that I feel. I release his clothing and throw my hands around his neck in order to bring our bodies closer, but he does not wrap his arms around me. As I run my own hands across his shoulders and down his arms, all the while deepening our kiss as much as possible, I can feel the tension that continues to reside in his body. He continues to kiss me, but I do not feel his hands on me.

I pull back to ask him what is wrong, and I can see the struggle in his eyes. I can see how he wants me, could feel it in his kiss, yet he had not held me. Still he refuses to touch me....

"Kyo," I whisper, pulling him back down to my level, "Touch me."

I let out a sharp squeak when I am crushed bodily against him, and he kisses me again. This time, his mouth is rough, and I feel the scrape of his teeth draw blood from my lip. I am too worried about riding through the sensations of his hands of my body to even care.

I can feel his touch through my yukata, and my skin craves more. I pull away, and find that I have the confidence to push him onto the bed. Kyo's eyes are alight with desire, and I know that I will be the only woman to ever see him full of so much lust and need. I tear at his sash and pull his clothing open, the rush of both my battle and the anticipation of lovemaking, making me bold and fierce.

Shaking my head to clear my senses, I realize that I've made Kyo completely naked, and that he is currently lounging across my bed watching me. He is waiting for me to make the next move. He is waiting for me to take control, and he is allowing me to have my way.

I come to my knees, by his side, still fully clothed. I run my hand across his chest, down his stomach, and through the patch of bright red hair just blow his navel. Kyo's body has alway been a wonder to me, but this is the first time that I have been given permission to fully enjoy it. My eyes follow the path of my hand as it ghosts over his flesh.

I find numerous scars, many of which I am the cause, and take my time exploring them. The remnants of old battles seem to be of particular sensitivity, as every time I touch one, Kyo sucks in a breath through clenched teeth. He has so many, it must be very difficult for him to allow me to seek them out.

Once I have found all of Kyo's battle wounds, I chance a glance to his beautiful face, and I am astonished at what I see. I once again can only desribe Kyo as a large cat. His eyes are hooded with pleasure and relaxation, much like a cat after a bout of catnip. But, I know that that is only his surface appearance. Given the opportunity, he will pounce, and, if he were to do so now, he may just break me. The lazy haze that seems to surround him only barely covers the underlying hunger.

I try to swallow but find that my throat is unnaturally dry.

"Oh, no you don't." He reaches up and cups my face in his hands, whispering a kiss on my lips. "This is your game, and I won't let you back out of it now." His lips lock against mine with a sort of possessiveness that I've never even known from Kyo. He kisses me long and hard, and causes my head to swim. My body heats up with my own desire, and the thrill comes back.

Before I can pry myself away from Kyo, I am pulled across his lap to straddle him. The very core of my body brushes against him, and he arches into me. Now, I feel the proof of his desire for me, and I cannot stop the heat that is connecting us.

Those red eyes watch my face as he grinds himself against me, beneath my clothing. I have yet to discard my yukata, while Kyo is fully naked. I am startled to finally see what he is doing. He has given me control of his pleasure, of his body, and he has left himself to my mercy. I take a moment to reflect on what that means, skimming my hands across the hard planes of his chest and stomach. Then he shatters all my thoughts with one word.

"Yuya." Even whispered, I can feel the depth of his need for me, what he has given me tonight, and what he is telling me with his body. I fight back the joyous tears that I feel coming. After all, Kyo stills sees those as a weakness, and god forbid I do anything to ruin this night.

Leaning across Kyo's torso, I find his lips once again, and this time I keep it tender and sweet. I reach between us and grip the evidence of his hunger, then slide my body onto his. Kyo lets out a very uncharacteristic groan, as if he has been waiting for this for some time, and I cannot help but to agree with my own sigh.

He holds onto my thighs, which are still covered by my clothing and pushes into my body, silently telling me to continue or he will die. I push up, then bear down, just as he thrusts upward, and I feel as if my vision has shattered. Each time our bodies come together, I cannot keep my cries of pleasure inside, and they only get louder. This spurs Kyo on, as he suddenly sits up and wraps his arms around my body. He uses his arms to pull me tighter to his body as he thrusts harder, and I feel as if my world will crach down around me at any moment.

Then, as Kyo plunges in with a particularly deep piston of his hips, my world does come apart, and I cry out as my pleaure blinds me. I vaguely hear myself call out my love to Kyo, which seems to trigger his own satisfaction as he soon follows me into bliss.

After a moment of labored breathing and slumping onto Kyo's chest, I feel as though I cannot move. I feel a completely different thrill as my pleasure thrums through me.

"I do think you've broken me." I mumble into Kyo's sweat slickened chest. The low rumble of a chuckle sends chills down my spine.

All too soon, I am pulled from my perch atop my demon to lie beside him on the bed. Well, not really beside him. More like my back to his front as he wraps completely around me. His arms circle my torso with that sense of wicked possessiveness, and one of his knees nestles its way between my thighs. I find myself suddenly too tired to think too much about our current arrangement.

As if sensing my confusion, Kyo's breath grazes across my cheek.

"I told you that the rush would wear off suddenly, now you need to sleep. You need to rest anyways, as we're leaving tomorrow."

I can barely follow what he is saying, but I try to perk up at the mention of going on our way. "Why?"

"We're going back to Edo."

"Huh? Why Edo?" I find myself too sleepy to follow his reasoning, but I vaguely hear something about having a reason to go back there. He doesn't get the chance to finish before I am out.

The next morning, I am not awakened by a kiss nor a cuddle. No, this time, I am tumbled out of my bed as Kyo picks futon and all up and rolls me onto the floor. I shriek loud enough to scare those in the neighboring room and commence to throwing whatever is in reach at my tormentor. He retreats into hallway with low chuckles at my expense and a warning to be ready to leave in ten minutes. My ire knows no bounds, and, as I dress, I plot Mibu Kyo's demise.

Amongst the plotting, I am periodically reminded of my tender feelings toward that horrible demon, and I know that I could never truly hurt him. Well, not for the lack of trying anyway.

But, I have pleny of time for that.

It is a beautiful early srping day, and I am about to begin a new advernture.

And I hold in my hands, the Heart of a Samurai.

~fin~

**A/N: And so ends our adventures with Kyo and Yuya. I hope that you enjoyed it. And thanks so much to all of the readers and reviewers. I hope I did these characters justice. Now on to other adventures...**


End file.
